Nocturne of Sleeping Destiny: You WillNotChoose
by Nitefyre
Summary: First Movement. Destiny does not change us, destiny simply reveals who we're truly meant to be. Cybretron and Earth two worlds bound by a ancient past and destiny. Now both worlds must come together to battle ancient threat from their distant past
1. Prologue:Lament of a Dying Star

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Marvel, Transformers, Final Fantasy 13 if did I would be a very happy man. I do own Gabriel Shepard.

**Author Notes: ** What is there to say , the story was sitting in my files, I read the original and said to self - "Self you can do better". So this project was born: Crossroads of Destiny:Re – Traveled. New plot, new characters, same concepts and themes but a different mode of delivery. This project will be broken up in to trilogy and tie in epilogue. As you can see I got a lot of influence from the Neon Genesis Evangelion Rebuild series of the movies which are amazing hence the titles. Once again thank for Bells of Eden for letting me play around in her Deux Claret Universe and for being my awesome, lovely beta reader despite a 5 hour time difference.

**Crossroads of Destiny: Re-Traveled ****  
**First Movement **  
**_Nocturne of Sleeping Destiny: You Will (Not) Choose_

by

Nitefyre

* * *

**Prologue ****  
**Lament of a Dying Star

-

_**System damage: critical. **_

_Shut up._

_**Spark chamber breached. **_

_You don't say. _

_**Total systems failure imminent. **_

_Tell me something I don't know. _

_You're dying. _

A voice – a female voice – spoke to him as he floated in the empty void. His body was broken. Debris and leaking energon trailed behind him like a comet's tail.

_That is rather clear, and I would like to do so in peace, and with my sanity intact_, the mech barked back mentally. He might not have the energy left to move, but he could die in peace.

_Stars should never die in silence, but always in a blinding flash: a song of fire, death and life_.

There before him, of all things, was a human – a human woman – the last thing he wanted to see. Her ghostly form floated above his him, her short-cut purple hair swept in an unseen breeze.

_Oh, Primus does have sense of humor. I'm seeing humans before my end _– _great_. The shattered remains of the Air Commander gave the smallest twitch of annoyance.

_Why do you deny me? You are star with no song. I am your song,_ the vision said, caressing his broken face plates.

_Stars don't have songs _– _and stars don't sing. They only scream in misery and solitude. Now go _– _I don't wish to spend my last moments debating with an apparition of my crashing processor, _he barked back – but the woman folded her arms in a sign of defiance, shaking her head.

_Oh, but your scream __**is**__ your song, Starscream _– _and it has yet to be heard. For when it is, the sky will shatter, and Heaven shall tremble._

A swirling sphere of glowing, purple-white energy formed in her hand. Before he could respond, she plunged her hand into his chest. His vision filled with a blinding light before darkness came.

_Only when we die are we ever truly born._

_**There he is **_– _**slag, those bastards did a number on him. **_

_**You owe me for this one, 'Screamer. **_

_**He's still alive, but barely. **_

_**Quickly – we have to move him. Get him on board. **_

_**If you can hear me: you're going to be all right, old friend. **_


	2. Chapter 1: March of the Empire State

**Chapter 1**: March of the Empire State

**New York**

Center of the world to some: home of the Broadway, Stark Tower, the Baxter Building. Some of the most powerful and influential people in the world live in this city – a city that stretches to the sky, and above it, to a large ship. Its guardian, its shield circles above – ever vigilant, ever watchful.

**S.H.I.E.L.D. **– **Helicarrier **– **Barracks **

The first sound he heard as rolled over, groaning in tired frustration, was the pounding on his door.

"Come on, Gabe, get up! You know how Sis is when we're not on time," a male voice said from behind the door.

The man in question – Gabriel Shepard – rolled over and looked at his clock. It read 7:40 am – and they were meeting Director Rogers in twenty minutes.

"Oh, fuck me."

"Helios, get your bloody ass up! I'm not getting bitched out by Miss Sunshine because you drank too much last night," a female voice with Australian accent barked.

The person in question a woman turned the corner. She stood at about five foot eight, with a slender, athletic frame. She moved with strong but graceful strides to the door on her quest. Her rose-pink hair was pulled back, revealing a strikingly beautiful face with stern blue-green eyes. The taller woman at her side was just as stunning. She was at least five foot eleven, with a strong but shapely build. A wild mane of the dark brown framed her suntanned face. She and the man next to her stood at attention. He was a mountain of a man, six foot seven, with ear-length, golden blond hair and a ruggedly boyish, handsome face that was doing its best to suppress its internal grin.

"We meet the director in less than twenty minutes," the pink-haired woman said in matter-of-fact tone.

"He should be out any second now and –"

Just then the door opened, revealing Gabriel, with his uniform in order. Sun-colored eyes locked with the woman's blue-green. He stood about 6 feet tall well built 220 pounds tan face with short cut dark brown hair. A face that most would consider rather attractive well cut cover in fine layer of freshly shaving facial hair.

'Morning, Light' – you look great this morning. Sleep well?" he said with grin.

Her eyes narrowed, and her jaw set.

"Tch." She turned on her heel and marched down the hallway. "We're going to be late – come on."

"Bright as usual, I see," Gabriel said, falling into step with his two teammates.

The woman shrugged, stating: "It just means she likes you."

**S.H.I.E.L.D **– **Helicarrier **– **War Room**

"Steve better have a good reason for getting me up this early in the morning – it's not the Apocalypse," Carol Danvers said, looking down at her cup of coffee. She hated early mornings – and once she was out of the Air Force, the blonde swore she would never get up at sunrise again.

"You know, Carol, for once we're not up early for the usual Tuesday apocalypse. I always wanted to watch a romantic sunrise with you – and what's more romantic than the good ol' S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier War Room?"

A single sky-blue eye cut in his direction, narrowing dangerously at the grinning, brown-haired young man: Peter Parker, who somehow, unwittingly, had become one of – if not her _best_ – friends after, well . . . everything. The man known as Spider-Man put his hands up in surrender, knowing that look all too well from the blonde heroine .

"Carol, Peter – good to see you two."

Steve Rogers – Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., super soldier and Captain America – walked in, wearing his usual blue jumpsuit with a white star on the front, boots on and coffee in hand.

"Hey, Cap' – how's the new job treating you?" Parker said cheerfully over the groggy groan from Carol.

"Can't say it's bad . . . though I do hate all the paperwork."

He sat down just as the door opened. Anthony Stark walked in, business suit and sunglasses on, with his long-time assistant Pepper lecturing him about something again.

"Okay, you two – tell me that this meeting, _this_ early, is some kind of trick," he said, falling into a chair.

"Morning, Steve. How are you?" Pepper said pleasantly before glaring at her boss. "I _said_ you had a meeting that you couldn't miss this morning."

"Oh, come on – I thought it was with some business partners that were just going to bore me to death with pie charts and earnings reports." Anthony looked over his glasses for moment. "You know I hate earnings reports – oh, hi, Pete, Carol," he added, greeting his other two Avenger teammates. "Okay – so who is it this time? I want this wrapped up before noon. Tee time is at 12:30."

"No, Tony – no threats this time," Steve said. The billionaire inventor leveled gazes with his old friend. "Tell me – have you heard of NEST?"

"Rumors. Something about alien robots, incidents in Mission City and in Egypt."

Steve took that answer as a 'yes', and confirmation that Tony had been keeping tabs on these rumors.

"They're not rumors," he said. "They exist – and I'm building a team to serve as a bridge between S.H.I.E.L.D. and NEST. Civilian and military."

"By 'civilian' you mean 'superhero civilian'," Peter stated.

"Yes, and the agents I handpicked should arriving . . . now."

The door opened, and the four agents in question walked into the room and stood at attention.

"Now, Agent Farron – on time as always," Steve said. "Please – at ease." The team relaxed and took a seat. "Agent Farron – codename: Lightning." He pointed at the pink-haired woman. "Agent Villiers – codename: Snow." He indicated the large blond man. "Agent Oreba – codename: Fang." He gestured to the tall brunette. "And finally Agent Shepard – codename: Helios. Agents, I'd like you to meet my old friends: Carol Danvers, Tony Stark and Peter Parker."

The groups looked one another over.

Tony walked over and took Lighting's hand, smiling flirtatiously.

"It's going to be a _pleasure_ to – ouch."

He yelped when he received a mild shock from the woman, who looked at him with eyes as cold as steel.

"I'm sure it will, Mr. Stark. I have heard all about your work," she said, with a cold smile.

Backing away, Tony went to test his luck with Fang who simply shook his hand and said:

"Look at me like that again, and I'll rip that armor off and put it in a place you will not like." She squeezed his hand tightly, and his skin looked like steel for a moment.

"I like those two already," Pepper whispered to Carol, smiling.

"How do you two work with these two?" Tony said to the men, who were trying to suppress their grins.

"Carefully," Snow said, blowing a puff of cool air.

"Very carefully," Gabriel added. A tongue of gold fire danced around his wrist and forearm.

"So I take it you guys are mutants," Carol said, before looking over at Steve. "If they're mutants, you know Xavier would want to know about them after – well, you know."

"No, we're not mutants – it's a lot more complicated than that," Snow said.

Carol looked at the group, eyebrow raised, before leaning back.

"So," she said, "about this NEST deal."

Steve handed files to all of them. "This is everything we know so far. The liaison, Samuel Witwicky, will meet us a Diego Garcia to introduce us to its leaders."

"Diego Garcia," Tony said slowly. "The Indian Ocean is a long way to go for a meeting."

"President's orders, Tony – 'cause trust me, after everything we've seen, NEST 'leadership' is going to blow your mind."

"Transforming robots from outer space," Lightning started. "Director – this is –"

"Agent Farron, it isn't _that_ unbelievable. You know you're sitting in room with a man that was frozen in ice for nearly sixty years, a woman who has had alien DNA spliced into hers, a man with the most advanced suit of armor in human history and a man that sticks to walls."

"And do whatever a spider can," Peter added, grinning. Carol playfully punching his arm.

'But Director –"

"Steve. Now, since this is _joint_ venture, you four are going be temporary Avengers for the duration of the mission."

"That means –" Snow said with a grin. Helios covered his face.

"I know what you want, but that's only a full-time thing. Sorry, bud," Peter said, grinning as the large man pouted, earning a glare from Lightning.

"Before there are any more questions" – Steve stood up – "we still have to pick the other two members of the team. Quinjet, so be primed and ready. Grab your gear – wheels up in fifteen minutes."

"Other two members?"

"Yes – on the way, making a stop in San Francisco. A navy pilot by the name Alexis "Starsong" Paxton, and someone – that is a long time associate of ours."

**Off the coast of San Francisco, Utopia **

"Absolutely not."

"Don't ya start wit' me, Erik – this will be good for ya."

A stern look, a look that had made lesser people cower. The woman standing across from him did what she had done many times before. Green eyes stared back at him – just as stubborn.

Southern charm, some called it.

"Marie, we are –"

"No, don't you 'Marie' me! I got enough to deal with Hope and those kids. Then you and Scott are always at each others throats. You're getting of this island, Erik Lensherr, or so help me."

Erik Lensherr – the former mutant terrorist Magneto – slowly backed up as the auburn-haired beauty in front of him walked him down. The older man paused and arched an eyebrow.

Seconds later he walked out to find Xavier and Scott standing outside the room. She walked behind him with a triumphant smile on her face.

'He'll do it" – she looked him over – "won't you, hon'?"

"Of course. Let me gather my things," Erik added calmly as walked away.

Xavier and Scott were still standing there, both repressing the urge to laugh.

"Not a word."

"Not a word all," Scott said, smiling, leaving the two old friends and enemies to themselves.

Erik leaned back against the wall for a moment – just to take it all in.

"She is right, you know – it will do you some good to get off this island." The taller man glanced back at his long-time friend. "She has had a good effect on you – you look happy. The world, I have come to understand, is much larger than our worldly grudges. Time to start seeing again."

"I suppose that you are right."

Outside, Scott watched the navy Blackhawk Helicopter land on the tarmac. A young woman stepped off. Her short brown hair was blown by the wind. She was attractive but not overly so – she would not stand out in any crowds. She walked towards him in her basic US Navy light tan uniform.

"Lt. Paxton. Scott Summers," he said, reaching out to shake her hand. "Welcome to Utopia."

"Thank you," she said as the helicopter took off. "I was told I would be meeting my transport to Diego Garcia here."

"Yes – they left from New York about twenty minutes ago. They should be here shortly."

A strikingly handsome man with white hair in a dark pair of slacks, a white shirt and a dark jacket walked on the tarmac. Next to him was an equally beautiful young woman with auburn hair and white streaks. She wore a green dress with full-length gloves and a scarf around her neck.

"Just in time," Scott said. "Erik – I'd like you meet Lt. Alexis "Starsong" Paxton. She's the other person Rogers requested."

Erik looked at her for a moment. Alexis could see the repressed hatred in his eyes. That kind of hatred was old and long-lived, and he hid it well.

"Pleasure to meet you, sir," she said coolly, shaking his hand.

"The same. It seems that we will be traveling together on this ... excursion," Erik said. "Were you informed of why you were picked for this venture?"

Turning around, Alexis lifted her hair up – revealing a strange, alien mark on the back of her neck.

"This appeared on my neck two years ago for no reason," she said. "Now I'm getting pulled away from my squadron –"

A loud boom cut her off as the quinjet appeared, hovering for a few seconds before the hatch opened. She found herself staring at the epitome of the American soldier.

"Lt. Paxton – sorry we're running a bit late," Steve greeted.

Alexis reached down to grab her bag – only find it floating, along with a few metal suitcases. The older man walked onto the plane.

"Steven, where are you manners? At least offer to help the lady with her bags," Erik said with smirk.

Rogue yelled 'behave' as the cargo bay door closed.


	3. Chapter 2: Prelude to the Autobots

**Author Notes: ** A year ago – one of the most amazing women that I have the pleasure knowing left this world after 4 year long battle with lung cancer. Aunt Janice this and everything else I write is dedicated to you – rest easy your work is done.

**Chapter 2**: Prelude of the Autobots

**Somewhere before Uranus and Neptune**

"What do you mean, his body is _gone_?"

The gold mech slammed his fist down, red eyes like a blaze of hellfire.

"Lord Sunstorm, I breached his spark chamber myself! There was no way he could –"

The red-and-white mech was trying desperately to calm his superior's fury, but every word seemed only to fuel it:

"He is the former Commander of the Decepticon Air Corps and Megatron's second-in-command. He has survived more near-death experiences than any of you cretins combined. _Find_ Starscream and bring me back his dead spark!" the gold Seeker roared, dismissing the other flier. "Oh, and Ramjet – fail me again, and you will find that I am far less merciful than Megatron when it comes to failure."

The other mech backed out of the room quickly as a com channel opened.

"Lord Galvatron, how go the repairs on Megatron?" Sunstorm bowed as the vision of his Commander appeared on the screen.

"The repairs are going as planned. Have you retrieved the codex from his treacherous second in command?" the shadow on the screen asked.

"He has eluded our grasp. We are in pursuit now –"

"And how, pray tell, does a dying mech elude your grasp by himself?"

"He does not."

"Good. Remember – leave no ground for your quarry."

The imaged blinked out, leaving the mech in thought for few brief moments.

"Thunderblast" – he called to his second – "get me the last known whereabouts of Thundercracker, Skywarp, Astrotrain and Soundwave."

**Aboard Astrotrain in transit to Earth **

"His system are stable – he just needs rest."

Starscream heard a voice that sounded familiar – most likely Skyfire.

"Any news on Soundwave?" Thundercracker asked.

"He just responded. I gave him the run-down. Shocking, he agreed, with this course of action. He is contacting Prime now."

Only one voice was that annoying – Sunstreaker.

"Of course he did. Soundwave is no fool – he knew this was lost eons ago."

That sounded like Drift, the assassin.

"I just hope that Prime don't frag us on sight."

That was Skywarp – even in his current state, that mech could annoy him.

"Don't worry. Prime won't . . . Ironhide, on the other hand –"

Prowl was cut off by monotone voice of Soundwave:

"Com link established with Diego Garcia."

Blaster's voice rang over the link: "Prowl! Oh, by the All Spark – what in the Pit is going on? Why do I have Soundwave getting me out of recharge?"

"A lot is going on, Blaster. A lot."

**Somewhere over the Indian Ocean**

The trip had been somewhat uneventful. Introductions were made, and there was some idle chatter going on for most of the ride. Alexis found herself in the cockpit, amazed at how advanced the jet was.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" Steve asked, smiling, as he looked out of the window at the expanse of crystal blue.

"Yes. How fast are we going?"

"About Mach 6 at the moment." He chuckled when her jaw dropped. "That's not top speed. Can't tell you how fast she goes – that's classified." She was visible amazed at the level of S.H.I.E.L.D. technology. "You know, I was always a ground-pounder myself – army all the way – but being up here . . . I can see why you choose to fly."

"Yes, it's beautiful. Sometimes it's the only place that makes sense to me – the sky, that is." She stared out at the clouds above them. She in the cockpit of one of the most advanced jets on earth, talking to a living legend. "Why me, Director? I mean – I know it's the mark – but why me? Did _you_ pick me?"

"I didn't matter. I picked none of you," he answered with a cryptic smile.

"Then who?"

"You are about to find out."

**One the ground **

"Sam, you'll do fine," Bumblebee said.

The jet circled before coming in on its final approach. Next to the mech was the boy in question – now a man, twenty years old, working for the United States government as an ambassador.

"It's not that, 'Bee – I just – I don't – this is _S H.I.E.L.D._ we're talking about here. They take on some of our world's biggest bad guys. You guys are making the big-time know," Sam said.

His smile was somewhat empty. The thought of the person that should be here crept into his mind. She'd vanished six months after he nearly died – just upped and disappeared.

Bumblebee looked at him. "We'll find her, Sam."

"I don't know if she _wants_ to be found."

Behind him, a black GMC Topkick pulled up. Two soldiers stepped out: one in army dress, green, and the other in Air Force blue. Next to the black truck, a Peterbilt red-and-blue flamed 16-wheeler come to a stop. As the quinjet touched down and came to a stop, the cargo bay door opened, revealing the ten people on board.

"Welcome to Diego Garcia, HQ of NEST, Director Rogers. To my right we have Captain William Lennox," Sam said. Will gave them a sharp salute before shaking the living legend's hand. "And this is Technical Sergeant Robert Epps." The African- American man followed suit.

"Honored gentlemen, we read your files. You two have done excellent work," Steve started. "To _my _right we have my long-time friends, Avengers and liaisons: Tony Stark; former Air Force First Lieutenant Carol Danvers, and photojournalist Peter Parker."

That grabbed Sam's attention – he'd heard nothing about cameras or journalists.

"About that –" he started.

"Son, if NEST is going public, they'd best do it with some of the world's biggest heroes."

Okay, that did make sense to Sam – though he still didn't like the idea. Yet it _was_ increasingly hard to keep everything under wraps.

"The S.H.I.E.L.D Agents that will be joining your team," Steve introduced.

"This is my team. I'm Agent Farron," the rather striking but harsh-looking woman introduced herself. "Next to me is Agent Oreba" – she pointed to the tall brunette next to her, who gave short wave – "Agent Villiers" – the tall blond man smiled and nodded – "and Agent Shepard." The short, dark-haired man gave a quiet greeting.

Steve continued: "Representing the United States Navy – Lt. Alexis "Starsong" Paxton." The slim young woman with short brown hair stepped out and shook his hand. "And lastly – representing the Homo-Superior Community and liaison from Utopia – Erik Lansherr."

That name gave Sam enough pause to stop for a moment. He spied a man in his late forties or fifties, looking at him with a gaze that could cut through even Ironhide's armor. Then he noticed the steel suitcases floating next to him.

"What, you're –?"

"Yes – otherwise known as Magneto. Will that be a problem, Mr. Witwicky?"

The man's tone of voice and gaze made him wish he was facing Megatron. He would rather have faced Megatron then have this man stare him down . . .

"No, sir – not a problem at all," he said.

"Excellent. It would be safe for me to assume that this whole operation is not run by you three fine young men," Erik stated, glancing at the vehicles behind them.

"That would be correct. Um – you might want to step back." Sam looked behind him. "Okay, you guys can come out now."

'I think he –" Peter whispered in Carol's ear, but was silenced as the black truck, the yellow Camaro and the red Peterbilt started to break apart. The sound of shifting gears and metal filled the air as the group of newcomers stared in complete astonishment. Three cars had literally _transformed_ before their eyes.

"What the –?"

"Bloody hell!"

"Sweet."

"You have to be–"

The exclamations came from the four agents. Steve stood, smiling, looking observing the amazement of the group. In a matter of what felt like minutes – but was only seconds – they were standing in front of three fully functional robots. Erik backed up slowly, setting himself in a slightly defensive stance.

"Greetings. I'm Optimus Prime." The largest spoke in a voice that was gentle yet commanding. "I am leader of the Autobots and Cybertronian forces here on Earth. To my right" – he gestured to the black truck, the second largest – "is my weapons specialist, Ironhide." The black grunted in response. "And this is my recon specialist, Bumblebee." The smallest gave them a warm wave.

"Amazing," Tony said, walking up to the three of them. In all his life, the man that could invent almost anything had never truly been shocked – but now he was _in_ shock. In front of him were not just three robots. No, they were autonomous robotic life forms, engineering marvels beyond his wildest dreams.

"Prime, why is the human looking at me like that?" Ironhide asked, getting somewhat apprehensive as Tony walked up to him, smiling – not with his usual smile, but with a smile he only had when faced with some new technology. The expression he wore was one that Pepper had not seen on him in years: it was nice, and he looked happy for once.

"I'm sorry," Tony said, "but I've seen technology of some pretty advanced civilizations – Kree, Skull, Shi'ar – and _nothing_ compares to this. Every part, every piece, fits perfectly in place."

"Is there an issue, Mr. Lensherr?" Prime asked Erik. "You seem apprehensive."

"Forgive me – old habits do die hard. My kind have had . . . issues with constructs before," Erik said, fighting every urge to throw Prime clear across the base and fly back to Utopia himself.

Optimus crouched down, and his blue eyes softened. "Have no fear. I have heard and read much about your kind's plight. One of the stipulations was that a representative of your community join NEST. Another, that we would not support any action against your kind at all. If there is any place you are safe, it is here."

The sincerity in his voice gave Erik pause. He could see if someone was lying – but this machine, despite it being a _machine_, had to be the single most honest being he'd ever meet.

"Okay, this is some kinda joke. Tony, stop acting like you didn't build these," Carol said in complete disbelief.

"Carol, if I could build something like these guys . . . I would have. I can build a lot, but this – no."

Carol paused. Tony was never one to admit that he couldn't do something – the admission was enough for her.

"Well, damn."

Sam stood there, smiling. Even after all these years, the Autobots still amazed him and everyone they came across.

"I think – I think need to sit down – this is –" Alexis started. Even Lightning was in shock – she stared in awed silence.

"I must be a lot for you all take in," Sam said. "Let's get inside the hangar, and we can discuss matters in more detail."

**NEST**

Once inside, most of the group were engaged in constant chatter – much of it from Tony, who was talking in advanced engineering jargon that only Erik seemed to understand. The hangar was abuzz with activity. People moved about as a large yellow mech barked orders. Smaller ones – pink, red and blue – looked to be engaged in serious preparation. But for what?

"Blaster, any news on the new arrivals?" Sam asked.

"Nothing, little buddy. Our eye in sky is still on the lookout – and, amazingly, he is being rather well-behaved," a voice that sounded more like a radio announcer said over the loudspeaker.

"Who was that?" Lightning asked.

"That was Blaster – communication and local DJ," Sam answered.

"Prime, I _told_ you – this is foolish! How can we trust them?" the yellow mech said, then: "Sideswipe, get the berth ready. I don't know how many injured are coming, or how many more I will have once this goes south."

"And that's Ratchet, our Chief Medical Officer," Sam whispered in her ear. "Careful – he likes to throw wrenches when he's in a bad mood . . . which is all the time."

"Samuel, I am _only_ in a bad mood when people don't listen to my instructions!" Ratchet turned. "_No_, Sideswipe! That needs –"

"I _know_, Hatchet! Primus, you're worse than a human's nagging wife!"

The wrench flew faster than most could see – but they heard the metallic clang, and the curses.

"Do it right, or so help me." Ratchet rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Excuse me. I know this is a lot to take in."

"You don't say!" Fang arched an eyebrow before rubbing her arm from the punch Lightning gave her.

"Everything will be fine, Ratchet. This is a day that we have all been hoping for," Prime said.

"Um, can someone tell me what he's talking about?" Snow inquired. Peter nodded in an agreement before getting a few shots of the Autobots, but not the equipment.

"This way. I will do more than explain," Prime said. "I will _show_."

They all sat and watched the tragic history of the Autobots' home world, Cybertron: a shining metal planet, now dead and ravaged after eons of war. They watched as Optimus and Sam told the story of how they first met, about the All Spark, and about the shared history of the two worlds. All sat in silence to listen to the tale – and once Prime was done, all but one remained silent.

"This is crazy," Lightning spat.

Steve went to correct her, but was stopped by Erik: "Steven, let her speak."

"This is absolutely crazy!" She narrowed her eyes at Prime without an ounce of fear. "This is not our war. It's yours – _you_ brought it here. None of us asked for this. What happens if our home ends up like yours?"

"We won't let that happen," Prime said. "We are sworn to protect this world."

"Well, given your track record protecting your own, excuse me if I don't have complete confidence in that statement," she countered.

Prime flinched as she laid bare his failings to protect his home – but however harsh, her criticism did ring true.

"Listen, you little –" Ironhide started, but was stopped by Prime. Like it or not, she did have the right to voice her opinion.

Lightning continued: "So what happens if you lose - you pack up and go? What about us? We can't just up and leave." Prime did not have an answer for her question, and a heavy silence fell upon the room. "That's what I thought," she said, turning on her heel and storming out.

"I'll –" Snow spoke up to go after the woman, but was stopped by Sam.

"Hey, I'll go talk to her. You guys can continue without me." Sam said. He walked out with Bumblebee close behind.

Steve noticed that the large mech looked old and very tired.

"Optimus, I'm sorry. She can be –"

"No, Steve – she is right in her concerns and her criticism."

"Yeah, well. She didn't have to be such a bitch about it," Alexis said, getting a look from Gabriel and Fang that said they agreed.

Lightning walked with her footfalls echoing in her ears. She couldn't believe this: the director was asking her to fight someone else's war! There were enough wars on Earth – they did _not_ need another one on their planet. She was angry – that was for sure – and would most likely get a formal reprimand for her behavior, but it had to said. She was not going to throw her team's lives away. Not for something that did not have anything to do with her or with them.

Then, of course, there was the mark.

She unzipped her suit just enough to see that strange runic mark at the top of her chest. Two years she's carried it, along with the crystals.

The sound of an engine pulled from her thoughts. It was the Witwicky kid. He was just a teenager when they'd first arrived – hell, he was barely out of high school now. He was dealing with it.

"You know, they love this world as much as anyone else," Sam said calmly, earning him a cold glare.

"It's still not their home. They can leave anytime," she spat, looking at the Indian Ocean.

"True, it's not their place of origin, but Earth is as much a home for them as it for us."

Lightning wheeled around, holding herself back from decking him right then and there. She did not need or want a lecture from some kid.

"You actually _believe_ that complete and utter bullshit?" She pointed at the hangar. "They will leave the first chance they get, and we will be shit out of luck." Now it was Sam's turn to be outraged: the Autobots were a lot of things, but cowards they were not. "I am not going die fighting someone else's war, period. So I for one am damn well not going to be drafted, and nor is my team."

"Optimus didn't pick you – I did. He didn't draft you – I did." Sam faced her with his jaw set. "That mark on your chest that no-one can read – it's Cybertronian. It means a couple of things, but mainly 'storm'." Rolling up his sleeve, he continued: " I picked you because when I jammed the All Spark into Megatron's chest, it picked me. It imprinted me with its collective knowledge, and I've been spending most of my adult life trying to figure it all out." She was given a brief pause to absorb what he was telling her. "You know, Optimus died for me once. I stood there and said the same thing you said: 'Not my war.' Megatron came back and was about to cut my head open to get what was inside. Even after I told Optimus to fuck off, he came back for me . . . because that's who he is. That's who they are." Sam walked back to the yellow car behind him, and both doors open. "Now hop in."

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see. Just get in."

Biting the inside of her mouth in frustration, the woman complied. It wasn't like she had much of a choice.

"Does it –?" she started.

"Yes, Agent Farron. I can feel you sitting inside me," Bumblebee answered, his voice edged with anger. "Yes, I did hear everything you said – and you are wrong."

"Am I? I only have your word for it – no proof."

Bumblebee was tempted to activate his holoform and give this woman a good piece of this mind.

"Optimus is the only father 'Bee here has ever known," Sam said. "He's like one of our teenagers – or was when we first met." He paused for a moment. "The war is all he's ever known."

Bumblebee pulled off, leaving the woman in silence. Soon the scenery changed, and headstones started to appear. Not a lot, but enough. In the middle was a metal spire with markings on in it.

"Get out. We're here," Sam said. "These are all the NEST soldiers that died fighting the Decepticons. Fighting a war that didn't involve them. See, the only problem is – it _does_."

Lightning walked around the car as it started to change to robot form. It let out a low, song-like whine while looking at the spire.

"How are you –?"

The machine said something that she could not understand.

"Teacher, sensei , mentor or older brother – all the same," Sam answered, not letting her answer the question. He touched the spire. "What's up, Jazz?"

"Jazz loved this world the first time we heard transmissions from it," Bumblebee said. "He couldn't get enough of your culture, your music, your art. When Prime needed someone to go ahead as a scout, he volunteered me. He said I needed to know something other than this war." He sat and looked at the spire. "He died by Sam, a human that he did not know, on a planet that was not his home. He died protecting soldiers of an army that he was not part of and did not know." Lightning was shocked at the emotion coming from a machine, of all things. "What he died for was so that ungrateful little slags who call him a coward."

"The Decepticons won't stop if the Autobots are gone," Sam said. "They need us and we need them, because Earth is the only home we have left."

He turned to leave. Bumblebee lifted him onto his shoulder. As the two left, Lightning's team arrived, looking apologetic for her actions.

Lightning stood in stubborn silence, trying not to be moved by the mech's words. She could care less about what Jazz had died for – if he'd died for those things, he was fool.

"You know, Sunshine . . . you can be an ironclad bitch sometimes," Fang stated.

"Ha, sometimes," Gabe added, narrowing his eyes slightly.

She was about to get an earful from her team, and if there were two people that could stare her down, they were Rachel Oreba and Gabriel Shepard. Even Snow had that look – and to think that oaf was dating her sister. He'd probably tell her and then she'd have to hear an earful from Serah, too.

"If that's a problem, you can leave," she said.

"Oh, don't you start, Claire. You know we've been looking for answers about these bloody brands and abilities we have. Now that we have them, you're acting like a spoiled princess just because it's something you don't want to do."

Lightning snapped her head in Fang's direction. The woman was dangerously close to crossing her line.

"You're damn right I don't want to do this. It's not my fight."

"Never stopped you before," Snow said. Helios nodded in agreement. "We joined S. H.I.E.L.D., and we've fought battles that weren't our own before."

"And how many times have I had to keep your stupid ass from dying and breaking my sister's heart fighting someone else's war?"

"So that's it. You're afraid you – we – might be killed."

Oh, she hated him – hated him with everything she had – for being able to read her so damn well. To be able to see though years of well-placed defenses.

"Who the hell do you think you are to judge me?"

"I'm not judging you. I'm calling you on your complete bullshit," he flung back at her. "If you're scared, say it, but don't try and hide behind some false sense of not wanting throw our lives away for nothing. Who the hell do you think _you _are to think you can choose for us?"

"I'm not –"

"Don't, Claire – you know that doesn't work with me. You're scared – you're terrified – because this bigger than you, and you don't know if you can beat it."

Yes, she hated Gabriel Shepard, that amazingly handsome bastard. She hated him oh-so-much.

"So you're saying," she said, "that this is some kind of _destiny _for us. That we were picked, and this is our destiny. Well, I make my _own _destiny."

"Sometimes destiny makes you, and chooses you."

"So" – she looked at the three of them and crossed her arms – "all of you are staying and signing on for this."

"You saw what the Decepticons did to their home. They'll do it to Earth, I know it – and you do too, Sunshine."

Fang held out her hand, revealing a purple, curved crystal. Gabriel and Snow followed suit revealing theirs: Gabriel's was shaped like a half-circle, burning orange like the rising sun, and Snow's was a blue teardrop. Lightning sighed in defeat. There was no escaping it: if this was the path she had to walk, then she would.

"Some things you just do," she whispered.

She had to take her own advice for once. She opened her hand to reveal a shining, rose-shaped crystal, just as Carol dropped out of the sky.

"There you guys are. Steve wanted to grab you," she said. "Optimus just got word from the group making planet fall, so –"

The four crystals flared to life. Light shot towards Carol, burning a brand into her chest. She wanted to scream, but it did not hurt – it was pleasant. The process only took a matter of seconds before she was on the ground, staring at the alien brand on her chest. In her hand was shining, golden-white crystal in the shape of a starburst.

"So who's going to explain the need for body art and jewelry?" the heroine asked, looking just as puzzled as everyone else.

"The short version or the long one, love?" Fang asked.

"The short, please. In my line of work I hear enough long explanations for the crazy shit that happens to me," Carol chuckled, dusting off her jeans.

"Short. Okay – we have not a bloody clue. You're in the dark just as much as the rest of us."

Both women arched the same eyebrow at the same time.

"What's your name again?" Carol asked.

"Fang."

"Carol – or Warbird, Binary, Ms Marvel. Take your pick."

"Oh. Well, Carol, if you're expecting more . . . that's it for explanations."

Carol laughed, actually laughed. "Oh, this happens all the time." She held up the crystal with interest. "Though I must admit, it never came with accessories. Anyway – nice explanation. I'm sure we'll get a more long-winded one once we get back, and be bored to death by the details."

"Before the light show, you were saying?" Gabriel asked.

"The group Optimus told us about is making planet fall."

"Wait – there are more coming?" Lightning asked in complete disbelief.

"Oh, that's just half of it, sister."


	4. Chapter 3: Canon of the Shooting Stars

**Author notes: **I want to thank Bells of Eden for being awesome beta and go now read her story When We Dared the Down. It is the base Universe for which my stories universe was born they exist as alternates of each other. If you like to know more we also have a Wiki up for Deux Claret and its respective alternate universes here is the link .com/wiki/Deux_Claret_Wiki check it out.

**Chapter 3**: Canon of the Shooter Stars

**Just above Earth's atmosphere **

"For the record, I would like to say that this is Pit-spewin' crazy," Skywarp said.

"Then go back to Galvatron, you imbecile," Starscream hissed.

Skywarp smiled. His wing mate was not yet back to full health, but he was close enough to up and running that Skywarp was happy.

"Enough, you two," Prowl ordered as the group streaked past Soundwave, just over the American west coast.

"_Soundwave_ _to Optimus Prime. Contingent is making planet fall near the human city of San Diego. To prevent incident, inform authorities_," the massive mech suggested.

"_Already done, Soundwave. We are here_," Prime answered.

"_Affirmative. Barricade, what is your location?_"

"_I am on site. Weapons are powered down. Awaiting orders_," the police cruiser replied.

"_Affirmative. Hold positions_."

The massive mech shed its satellite façade as it started re-entry.

"This is a beautiful world, isn't it?" Hound asked, looking at the blue sphere.

"I hope its worth all this.," Thundercracker grunted.

"It will be, brother," Drift said.

"All right, see you all planet side!" Wheeljack said from his com as he entered the atmosphere.

"Yeah – fry on the way in, frag heads! Save me the trouble!" Sunstreaker yelled.

His voice faded into static before Prowl could reprimand him.

**San Diego **

"_Magneto, this is Prodigy. I'm tracking several objects entering Earth's atmosphere, heading your way_."

"Thank you, David. Inform us of any changes," Erik said. His purple cap billowed in the warm breeze.

"_Understood_."

Several successive booms could be heard, eleven in total. Eleven meteors had shot across the night sky, setting it on fire as they sped towards the surface. All eleven made landfall in various areas. Five crashed down near the Naval Air Station and marine base in the area. The base personnel were made aware of the situation as the protoforms landed. Tension was high as they transformed, looking for alternate forms. There were several of the world's most advanced aircraft nearby. Soon a black-and-purple Su-47, a storm-blue MiG-29 Fulcrum and a silver F-22 Raptor emblazoned with Cybertronian markings appeared on the ground. The fifth found a prototype experimental fighter that was being tested at the base as its alternate form. Soon a red and white sweep wing aircraft the test dub the Valkyrie was in the flying through air in formation with the other three planes.

At the naval docks a large meteor crashed into the harbor. Red eyes broke the surface of the water, scanning the sea. A _Seawolf_ class submarine was nearby. With nothing more than a sound, an exact copy of the same vessel left the port, sinking below the waves.

"_Prowl, this Starscream. The Air Corp has made planet fall and found alternate forms en route to rendezvous_."

"_Soundwave reporting. Alternate form obtained en route to rendezvous_."

"_Acknowledged_."

"For primitive life forms, these squishies can make some nice aircraft," Skywarp shouted out as his engines roared to life. Even Starscream had to agree – _yes they can_, he thought.

"Someone seems to be enjoying themselves," the red-and-white Valkryie that fell into formation chuckled as the five fliers made their way to their destination.

The 6th Prescient was rocked as something crashed in the back. All the officers on duty rushed outside, looking at the burning crater in the squad parking lot.

What they didn't notice was the cruiser quietly pulling off amid the chaos.

"_Prime, this is Prowl. I'm on the ground and en route_."

The was a large car show at the Convention Center – top-of-the-range vehicles costing thousands of dollars. All were destroyed as five protoforms crashed through the roof. Moments later, a green Jeep Liberty, a red-and-white Nissan Silvia S15, a fire-red Ferrari F458, a white SAAB Aero-X, and a gold Lamborghini Aventador all pulled out of the building.

"Okay, not bad – the squishies do have _some _taste."

"Sunstreaker giving a compliment! Oh, the universe is doomed," Hot Rod chuckled.

"Hey, they make me look good! And if there's anything I like, it's looking good," Sunstreaker replied, just as Drift sped by and did a 720° degree spin without losing momentum.

"More focus on skill and less on looks, Autobot!" he laughed, leaving Sunstreaker seething.

"I'll show you skill, scrapheap! Get back here!"

The golden sports car's engine roared to life. It shot down the street, looking very much like its namesake.

"Oh, Primus – we're haven't even been on this planet for a cycle, and there he goes." Wheeljack sighed and opened the com link. "_Prowl, it's Wheeljack. We have covers and are en route – but Sunstreaker is about to blow his_."

"_Sunstreaker!_" Prowl yelled over the com as he and Drift raced down the highway.

**Rendezvous**

"I take it everything is going as planned," Tony said to Optimus, who had a small smile on his face as he listened to the chatter.

"Yes. All are planet side and en route, and should be here" – the roar of the jets above signaled the arrival of the fliers – "shortly."

All looked up as the group flew by in perfect formation, circling once before transforming in midair in a whirl of shifting gears and metal. Even with visible damage, Starscream stood proud and strong. His red optics glowed in the night next to those of his trine, who stood quiet and ready, watching Ironhide and Sideswipe closely.

"Well, this is going to take some time getting used to," Astrotrain rumbled, shifting into his second alt form – a bullet train locomotive – then back his robot form – then into another form a state of art X-71 space shuttle. "So yeah, I would say 'we come in peace', but that would be lie . . . so . . . we come in peace."

"Prime, it's good to see you," the large red-and-white flier said.

All turned around as a large form appeared from beneath the waves. Like a black leviathan it rose, eyes blazing ruby.

"Oh, he's a big one," Tony said, looking up at the massive Transformer before him.

"Soundwave. I see you found a form that suits you," Starscream hissed.

"Yes. While primitive, the human technology is acceptable," Soundwave's monotone voice boomed. "Optimus."

"Soundwave."

The black Saleen revealed himself to them. Barricade's armor was almost as dark as Soundwave's, but reflected more light as he stood to attention.

"Barricade reporting."

"The human ship – United States Navy, designation USS _Kidd_, with a prototype rail gun weapon system, two miles off the coast – is not needed. We did not come here to make war," Soundwave stated, and Prime could not help but smile inwardly at those words.

"Captain Matthews, did you read that? Thank you for your assistance." He nodded. "Forgive me – just a precaution."

"Understandable, but unnecessary."

Six car engines could be heard closing in: a Chevy Impala police cruiser, a white SAAB Aero-X, a red-and-white Nissan Silvia S15, a fire-red Ferrari F458, a Jeep Liberty and a gold Lamborghini Aventador. One by one, they all transformed, revealing their robot forms. Soon the beach was full of alien robots, armed to the teeth, that had been locked in a war longer then the human race had existed.

Starscream limped forward, locked gazes with Prime.

"Optimus Prime. I am Starscream, Commander of the Decepticon force on Earth. I offer a ceasefire, and an end to the hostilities that have plagued our kind for eons."

"I accept the offer. Hostilities shall end while terms of the peace are negotiated."

The was a cloaked sigh of relief. With two sentences, a eons-long war had ended – and a new one was staged to begin.

"Then," Starscream said, "there is much we have to discuss."

**Diego Garcia **

_The Girl Who Stole the Stars_ - Alexis

The trip back had been eventful, but not in a bad way – most of it was good-natured ribbing, and a strange sense of relief among the Transformers. None of them thought the war would end the way it did – on a beach – on a backwater planet called Earth. Yet the only one silent was Starscream. He knew that this was only the beginning: a small reprieve before the true battle began. Once back at the base, Ratchet wasted no time in fussing over the injuries that Starscream had – and, oddly enough, his wingmates and Skyfire made sure that he was checked over. The Seeker was set to meet with Prime in the morning to discuss everything.

He thought through the events that had led him here. The years of recharge plagued by visions. Vision of a woman – a human – with dazzling lavender hair that shone like that stars in sky. He saw the death of his race, the death of the human race, and eventually the end of all things. These visions had been what drove him to betray Megatron for the last time. Upon seeing Galvatron and Sunstorm, the Seeker had known, like an screaming instinct, that the two of them were spawn from the Pit itself.

The day had been long. Most had decided to settle in for the night. Starscream instead found himself sitting on the beach, his gaze skyward, looking at the moonless but starlit sky.

_Destiny is not be chosen, but revealed. It does not change _– _it_ _merely reveals the being's true purpose. _

_Babbling slag-filled nonsense,_ he told himself – but deeper in his core, he know the vision – this woman – was right. Maybe that was why he'd been attempting to remove Megatron from power all these years.

_How does the bird know to fly? It is instinct, an instinct that it is its destiny to be one with the sky. The bird has only to discover it. _

_You continue to compare me to creatures of this dirtball of a planet. I share nothing with these creatures. _

He was seething. He hated this planet and everything about it – yet this voice plaguing his processor continued to draw comparisons.

_Yet you sit here and refuse to acknowledge the beauty of the night on this world. _

Okay, she had a point there. For some reason, the stars here shone brightly.

"Don't you things – I don't know, sleep?"

Starscream looked down and found a pair of green eyes staring back at him. This was the human woman – the pilot, the one with the mark of Star on her. He narrowed his optics slightly. She was nothing impressive in his eyes. Still, the way she looked at him – fearlessly – was interesting.

"Do you know what I am, fleshing?" He brought his gaze level to hers; they were inches apart. The voice came back him.

_The mighty have fallen before a woman like her. Oops, I said too much._

Infernal voice! Why had he been plagued by it since he'd found that tablet, that prophecy?

"A giant toaster shaped like a Tostito?" she suggested, pulling her jacket closer.

Starscream said nothing for a moment – he couldn't figure out whether she was being stupid or sarcastic.

"Believe that if you like. It's not like I expect a race evolved from monkeys to understand," he spat back.

"This coming from an overgrown toaster oven."

"One – I am more than our races machines you use for you disgusting method of recharge." Slamming his hand down on inches from her enjoying the started lock on her faces. "Second – I am far more dangerous than you would know."

She stared back at him defiantly. "I'm not afraid of you."

"What, human?"

"I said I am not afraid of you – and I have a name. Use it."

Starscream paused for a moment. This creature that he could crush in an instant was not afraid of him.

"Tell me," he said, "are you foolishly brave or completely stupid?"

"Maybe both, or maybe they're one and the same. Who knows?" she said, sitting down on the beach.

"What are doing?"

"Sitting, why?"

She really wasn't afraid of him. That threw Starscream's processor for a tailspin. The both sat gazing up at the sky, settling into a strangely comfortable silence.

"That designation – Starsong. Why did you choose it?" he asked.

"Why do you want to know?" It was an odd question coming from something that claimed to hate her species.

"Boredom-induced curiosity. Does it matter? Now answer the question, fleshing," he demanded.

"All pilots pick call signs."

"I know why your pathetic military uses the names. Why did you pick the name Starsong?"

"My grandmother. She would tell me when I was little, when I used to sing for her, that I had a voice that sound like the songs of the stars."

He paused for a moment. It was not the first time he'd heard that phrase; the voice in his mind had used it time and time again.

"The stars don't sing. They only scream in misery their whole lives," he said.

"Maybe – but maybe one day they'll defy fate and sing," she said, holding back her tired yawn.

"To defy fate . . . _that_ may be foolishly brave, or incredibly stupid, or perhaps a little of both." Looking down, he saw that she'd had fallen asleep on the beach. Her hair had fallen to the side, revealing the rune for Star on the back of her neck. Such a fragile creature . . . with such a heavy and terrible destiny.

_Oh, how the mighty have fallen_, the voice chuckled. Starscream gently picked up the sleeping woman and made his way to her barracks.


	5. Chapter 4: Adagio of a Dark Destiny

**Author Notes: ** As I like to say and we keep it moving - Chapter 4 hot of the press and ready for reading - Enjoy.

**Chapter 4**: The Coming of a Dark Destiny

_**Arch Nemesis**_

A purple-and-silver mech walked onto the bridge of the massive Decepticon ship. In what could have been called the captain's chair sat a gold Seeker. His blazing red optics stared out into the void of space.

"Do you have what I asked for, Thunderblast?" it said coolly as the purple mech handed it a data pad.

"It appears, Lord Sunstorm, that your theory was correct. Starscream's wingmates were tailing us and retrieved their commander." Sunstorm threw the data pad down with a roar of anger, his frame ablaze with gold fire, reflecting his mood. "It appears that we were betrayed by several of Megatron's former soldiers."

"Shockwave, where could they be heading?"

A single red optic narrowed before the mech in question spoke:

"Earth, sir – the only place where they would find amnesty and take the tablet."

"Very well. Set a course. Get us there immediately." Sunstorm paused for a moment. They would need allies, ones that did not have any loyalty to their race – only to power. "Also, have Sideways prepare for a mission. Once we get within range of Earth, I will dispatch him."

"Immediately, sir."

**Diego Garcia **

The sun had just broken over the horizon; it still hung low in the sky. Yet the base was in a buzz of movement. Soldiers moved and hauled equipment; a dock and a dry dock was being built for Soundwave's massive frame, among other things. In the midst of all the activity in the main hangar, Lightning and her team had gathered, still amazed and shocked over recent events.

"I would never thought that aliens would be this . . ." Fang started, leaning back against the heavy hangar door.

"Amazing," Snow said excitedly

"Crazy," Lightning countered, rolling her eyes

"Actually, a little bit of both," Gabriel added, smiling. Carol, Will, Epps and Peter joined the group. "And look! It's the newest member of our crew."

The blonde heroine looked groggy, and held a cup of coffee in her hands.

"She hates early mornings. Just give her one cup and she should be fine," Peter said, getting a few more shots and pictures.

"Why are you taking pictures?" Lightning asked.

"PR. When Cap – I mean Steve – makes this public, he wants some good Public Relations for the 'bots," he answered.

"So you're just a photographer."

"Wait – don't move." Before Lightning could say anything, Peter jumped up and stuck to the side of the hangar door before snapping a picture. "That, among other things." He jumped down, landing with ease, and grinned at her. "Shot's going to come out great. The light was perfect."

"You know, girl – if our instructor saw you now, he would say all this Avenger business is making you soft," Epps teased the former Air Force pilot, who'd discovered their shared instructor.

"Yeah – and I would throw his ass through a window," Carol said, remembering the hell she'd caught from the man – but the thought of tossing him through a window brightened her day.

"Hey, TC! Look – the squishies are up already! Man, one of them is looking really bad," Skywarp said as he and his wingmate approached, commenting on Carol's disheveled look.

"Hey, I wouldn't mess with her. She's not a morning person," Peter warned.

"Shut up, insect. It's not like the – what's that word – oh yeah, _Barbie doll _can hurt me."

Peter's eyes went wide, and he backed up slightly. Everyone else looked a bit taken aback. Just as Lightning and Fang were about say something, Carol finished her cup of coffee and tossed it away.

"I'm sorry – _what_ did you just call me?" she asked.

"Are you hard of hearing, Blondie? I called you a Barbie, your Earth toy with – what the slag?" he exclaimed. His optics widened in shock when he saw that the woman was now floating in the air, mere inches from his face.

"Listen, you over grown Tonka toy," she hissed. "You're new here, so I'm give you a warning – don't _ever_ call me that again."

"Hey, that bug can fly! Let's see if I can" – he clapped his hands together – "swat her like a fly."

"Hey!" Will barked, but was stopped by Peter:

"She's got it."

Just as the photographer spoke, Skywarp found himself struggling to keep his hands together as Carol slowly pushed them apart.

"Is that all you got, big boy?" she said, effortlessly resisting his strength despite the size difference. Even Thundercracker was shocked to see his wingmate struggling against the human woman. "Come on, put your back into it! This can't be it. I thought you were going to swat me?"

"Well, I'm _trying_."

"I can see that."

One push later, Skywarp was flipped in the air and onto his back. The sound of his body hitting the ground echoed across the tarmac. Carol floated down, placing her foot on his chest and not letting him get up.

"Your name's Skywarp, right?" she asked as he struggled to get up. He heard Thundercracker doing his best not to laugh.

"Yeah – what in the Pit are you?"

"Oh, me? I'm woman that hates mornings and blonde jokes. My name is Carol, or Ms. Marvel – and if you ever call me blonde or Barbie again, I will rip both your arms off and beat you with them. Got it?"

Skywarp was not afraid of a lot of things – but he was suddenly very scared of this woman.

"Yeah," he said, "I got it."

"Good." She hopped off him, leaving a footprint on his chest plate. He stared after her.

"What the Pit, when did your kind learn to do that?" Skywarpe asked getting back the his feet.

"Super strength. Just be happy you didn't cross paths with the Hulk," Peter said, following her inside.

"You know, I think I like her," Fang said, grinning.

Snow nodded. "She's going fit in just fine – right, Sis?"

"Don't call me that," Lightning barked as they entered the hangar, leaving a shocked Skywarp on the ground.

Inside, everyone was gathered together. In the middle of the room was a giant tablet, with a large glowing sphere in the center that hummed a soft musical tune.

"Okay, now _that_ is something I have not seen before," Peter said as he watched Optimus examine it. Alexis and Sam stood close by.

"It has the same marks that Sam and Alexis engraved on it," voiced Wheeljack.

"Knowledge, Star, Fire, Force, Water, Metal, and Void. That's what the writing says," Sam added.

"Look at this – there are some kind of protectors around it. Two at each of the four cardinal directions and two in the center," Magneto said, amazed. This was something he'd never seen before – it was beautiful. "And pictographs, look – a human and a Cybertronian standing together."

"In the time of the Golden Age," Starscream started, "a great evil covered the universe. The Creators built the fire of life to combat this evil. Infusing it with the elements of life its self – Knowledge, Star, Fire, Force, Water and Void – they assigned Guardians of the Anima and Animus to protect it, to be soldiers for the fire of life. Warriors of the two worlds, united by a common cause." He pointed to the set on the right. "Guardians of the East, Dawn and Sun. Guardians of the North, Night, the Moon and the Stars. Guardians of the West, Dusk and Storms. Guardians of the South, Day and Light – and finally, Guardians of each planet, and that which binds us all."

"Starscream, how do you know this?" Optimus asked.

"When I found the tablet on the _Arch Nemesis_, it did something to me – drove me to bring it here, and that wasn't the only thing."

He opened his palm. Emblazoned upon it was the symbol for Cybertron.

"Well, I'll be –"

"You have to be –"

"You mean to tell me it made _Starscream_, of all mechs, a Guardian?" Sunstreaker's faceplates reflected the shock of everyone in the room.

"Well, that ain't all."

Thundercracker opened his hand, showing an electric-blue crystal marked with the symbols for West, Dusk and Storm. Skywarp did the same, showing South, Day and Light. Finally Skyfire showed a flame-shaped crystal that had East, Dawn and Sun written on its surface.

"There's one missing," Tony pointed out, just as the table started to glow. The markings burned white. 'What the –?"

_You have done well, Starscream. I knew I would choose well_, said the very same voice that had plagued him since he'd found the tablet on the _Arch Nemesis_.

"Okay, this kind of stuff only happens on Tuesday, and it's not Tuesday," Peter said as the room was filled with a blue-white light. Sam and Alexis screamed in pain as the runic markings on the back of their necks came to life, glowing bright white and lavender respectively.

_You two are the first to bear a terrible destiny _– _to finish what was started many eons ago, and right the mistakes of our Creators_.

"Whatever you are doing to them, stop! It is killing them!" Ratchet shouted as he watched both their life signs drop. Carol – not one for waiting to see what would happen next – flew at the center of the tablet, but was stopped by an invisible force as a woman appeared.

_I will do them no harm. They are the future _– _as are the others._

Sam and Alexis' eyes shot open. Cybertronian code appeared in their eyes.

_I am all that is left of Beta Trion, Minerva, Mina and more. My purpose was to choose new Guardians to combat the darkness that is coming. _

Carol screamed as her mark – the rune for Light – blazed to life. Lightning, Fang, Snow and Gabriel all followed suit as theirs did the same. The respective marks – Storm, Aether, Moon and Sun – shone brightly.

"Chromia!" Ironhide rushed to his sparkmate's side as she convulsed in pain, shaking. He raised and charged his cannon.

_Your devotion to your mate is admirable, but the pain she is going through is only temporary._

All that were marked fell to the ground as each guardian pair started to glow before floating in the air: Gabriel with Skyfire, Lightning with Thundercracker, Chromia with Snow, Skywarp with Carol, with Starscream and Fang back-to-back in the center.

_You ten have been chosen for you are the best of both our children. The Anima and the Animus and only together will show our greatest triumph and our greatest failure the beautiful of the Dreaming Dawn. _

Both Sam and Alexis were lifted into the air at the center of the group. Alexis started speaking in a language that no-one could understand, but it sounded as if it contained elements of both Cybertronian and Earth languages.

_The song of the ancients is sung, and the Aspect of the Spark shall awaken_.

A light shot out of their mouths, blowing a hole in the hangar roof before meeting at a single point and breaking off in five separate directions. Minerva turned her gaze to Optimus.

_You, Prime of Hope, have done well to come this far. You have achieved that which your forefathers cound not , yet you are only one. There are others. Find the other Matrix. Form a new council of Primes _– _for only the Seven can use the Key to unlock Vector Sigma and unite the Animus once again. _The ghost woman walked to Gabriel, bringing his gaze down to hers. _I have spoken with you in the past and in the future. You share blood with my prophet. The path to the Key lies in the bloodline of the Prophet. Beware the cross _– _and find your sister, the bearer of Force. Only together will you find the Key_. She looked up at Skyfire. _A gentle spark with a warrior's destiny_. Minerva went to Lightning and Thundercracker next. _The Dawn carries a terrible burden _– _a burden that only the Aspect of Heaven will know. You hold his light and his hope. Like your name, you streak across his blackened sky to show him the way. _She looked at Thundercracker: _You are the coming Storm, and with the Storm comes change. Accept what you have done to know what you will become. _Finally she came to Fang and Starscream and said: _The moon will light the way for stars_. But it was Starscream she left with the final words: _She is your song and your destiny. Only when your scream and her song harmonize will you truly awaken. _She paused. _We each have our parts to play, and we will all do what we must. My part has come to its end. The rest now lies in your hands. The song has been sung, and the Awakening has begun. Our enemies are close, and time is short. _

Just as quickly as it started, everything ended. There was a heavy silence in the room.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you? Prophecies of great evil only happen on Tuesday," Peter said as the group started to wake up, groaning. He was at Carol's side in an instant, helping her up.

"If we were to go by the Cybertronian calendar, it would be the day that corresponds with your human day of Tuesday," Drift stated, helping Skywarp off the ground.

"Oh, great – so it's universal! A great evil prophecy every Tuesday."

"Blaster?" Tony called.

"Wow, _what_ is going on in there? You completely dropped off the grid there, man!" the mech replied from his station.

"I'm trying to work that out. Get me Steve on the line – we've got a lot talk about."

Sam opened his eyes to find himself lying in the hands of Bumblebee. His blue optics were full of worry.

"I'm okay, 'Bee – hell of headache, but I'm okay." Sitting up, he looked over at Optimus, who was speaking with Hot Rod. "Optimus – there are more out there, other Aspects. We have to find them."

"Aspects of what, Sam? We still don't know what the Pit just happened!" Hot Rod looked at the boy like he'd grown a new head.

"Aspects of the All Spark. Don't ask how I know. I just know – probably because I'm the Aspect of Knowledge."

"You know, I should have never signed up for your team in Qatar," Epps said to Lennox. "My life was been weird shit on top of weirder shit since then."

"Oh, shut up – you don't get to complain till you have to fight one of your own clones." Epps gave Peter a confused look. He mumbled 'don't ask' as Carol came to.

"I want all of them in the medbay, _now. _So help me if anyone complains – Transformer, human or superhuman, you will wish you never sparked," Ratchet said, marching to his lab.

Ratchet was watching over the ten humans and ten Cybertronians like a hawk. Even Optimus was not allowed in to see them. The events of the day had shaken, amazed and deeply disturbed them all. Optimus found it interesting. Ratchet had said the entire group was in recharge, or sleeping – they were stable but exhausted. Tony had contacted Steve, as per Prime's orders, and had the families of Lightning and Fang flown to Diego Garcia, believing they would be targets. Now he was left sitting with Erik playing an Earth game know as Go. It was similar to chess, simple yet complex in strategy – a game that Erik was very good at, despite Prime's eons of knowledge.

"Something bothering you, Optimus?" Erik asked, making his next move.

Prime released a puff are air from his intakes. Erik had learned that it was their equivalent of a sigh.

"I fear for the young ones," he said. "This is a great burden on them."

"As do we all," Erik replied.

"You don't seem worried."

Erik stopped and steepled his fingers. "In my years, I've seen the worst that this world has to offer. I contributed to some of it myself. Yet it was always the younger generation that seemed to overcome and triumph over the mistakes of the past." He paused for a moment, then continued: "Do you know what I am, Optimus? Home Superior, or Mutant. Hated and despised, yet not one person on this base – not one soldier associated with NEST – has mentioned it. Even though they have seen displays of my abilities on a daily basis."

"That kind of hatred is not, and will never be, allowed here."

"Exactly. I have spent my whole life trying to change the minds of men. Yet a machine from another world has done more than Charles and I have done in our lifetimes." He took a sip of tea before continuing. "You, Optimus. They do that because of _you_. You inspire the best in everyone around you."

Optimus thought for a moment about the ease with which he and Erik had become friends over the past few days. Despite the man's past, there was an incredible wealth of good within him.

"Hearing your tale about your planet made me realize that we have both seen the worst of our worlds," Erik said. "The difference is that I gave into the worst of mankind's nature. You fought against it."

"You are young species, Erik, and have only just begun to tap into your potential," Prime commented, making his next move on the holographic board.

"Hm. Interesting – a stalemate."

"Yes, it is." Optimus looked down for a moment, stepping back mentally from the board.

Then that's when it dawned on him – a stalemate. Equality and union. It reminded him of the glyphs on the board; he realized what memory they drew on. Erik heard him say something in a language that he could not understand, but it sounded somewhat like a mix of French and Italian in the way the words – or tones and sounds – flowed.

"Was that your native tongue?" he asked.

"Yes, it was."

"It sounded strikingly similar to the Italian for 'protector'."

Prime nodded, acknowledging the similarity between the two languages. "Yes, though our word holds more meaning. It means guardian, protector, friend, mentor, brother. When my kind are young we have a mentor to guide and teach us, to cast us a role in society."

Erik sat back in his chair, deep in thought. He thought back to what Minerva had called the humans and Cybertronians – Anima and Animus.

"I believe that the events of this morning have given me an idea," he said.

This statement garnered the massive mech's attention as Erik started to go into details.


	6. Chapter 5: Ain't No Rest for the Wicked

**Chapter 5**: Ain't No Rest For the Wicked

**The Next Day**

"Prime, you must be out your processor!"

"No."

"An interesting idea."

"You'll have to take my wings first."

"I like it."

"This is going to go really bad, really fast."

"Of course – listen to the crazy ghost lady."

Prime and Magneto let out a shared sigh as the hangar turned into a cacophony of arguments and yelling. Finally Erik cracked.

"_Enough!_" he roared, powers flaring to life. Every Transformer – minus Optimus – found that he or she could not move or talk. They all looked in shock as his white hair floated in the air, and his hands stretched out. "Thank you. Now, as we all saw yesterday, the creator of that tablet suggested that the two races were meant to work _together_. While I have my reservations, it seems that we may have not a choice in the matter. Now, if I can learn to work with my former enemies, surely members of an advanced species such as yourselves can do the same?"

There was very long silence, during which all optics were fixed on him. He released the Cybertronians from his grasp.

And then the arguing started again. Erik sighed.

"If I wanted to deal with children, I could have stayed on Utopia."

**On the Tramac**

"I am _not_ getting in that thing."

"The feeling is mutual, human."

It was stare-off of the century as Thundercracker and Lightning faced one another.

"Guys, can you at least _try_?" Gabriel asked getting the same glare at the same time. "A match made in heaven. Stick the two most pigheaded ones together – genius."

"If you think I am letting this disgusting creature sit in me, you all can go to the Pit," Starscream spat.

"Oh, I'm thrilled truly – I get paired with the robot on a permanent PMS trip," Alexis shot back.

Skyfire looked at Gabriel, sighing in defeat.

"I hope Skywarp and Carol are faring better." Skyfire said to his partner.

"Okay, look, Skywarp – we can do this the easy way or the hard way," Carol said, cracking her knuckles.

The Seeker thought for moment, remembering what had happen the last time he crossed her.

"Eh, what the slag. Decepticon pride ain't worth it," he said, changing into his alt form.

"Nice – an SU-47! You have some taste there, Skywarp." Carol whistled at his sleek alt form as the cockpit opened.

"Ha – we can agree on one thing."

"Always wanted to fly one of these. Never got the chance when I was in the Air Force," she said, climbing into the pilot's seat. The controls looked far more advanced than what she would have expected. "You know, being able to fly is one thing, but nothing compares to flying a plane."

"Oh, but I am so much more than that," he chuckled before shutting the cockpit and warping in to the air in freefall. He pushed his engines and warped towards the sun.

'Holy shit!" Carol laughed, with a big smile on her face.

On the ground Gabriel and Skyfire were pulled away from their test as a loud explosion rocked the base. Seconds letter they heard Wheeljack yell:

"YOU OKAY, TONY?"

"YEAH, I'M ALL RIGHT, WHEELJACK – AND IT WORKS!"

Ratchet could be heard in the distance, roaring at them both about safety.

**In the air**

Things were not going well for Gabriel and Skyfire. Carol and Skywarp were mopping the floor with them.

"Gotcha again, Sky! You are _really_ bad at this," the purple Seeker cackled over the radio. Carol laughed with him.

Skyfire, in his alt form – an experimental endo-exo fighter dubbed a Valkyrie or Veritech – sighed in defeat.

"He is right. I'm not built for this."

"Wait, what? I thought –" Gabriel started to ask.

"I'm a _scientist_. I was frozen for most of the war."

"You have got to be to kidding me."

"I am not. I hate war, actually."

Gabriel slapped his hand over his face as the missile lock tone went off again.

"Well, that's obvious."

**Back on the ground**

"So you four are going to let Carol and Skywarp beat you out?" Gabriel started, pointing at Alexis. "You're a naval aviator and you" – he pointed at Lightning – "are the best pilot in S.H.I.E.L.D."

Lightning looked at Alexis.

"Please! I would mop the floor with candy top over there," Alexis huffed, and Gabriel grinned.

It was on now.

"Right – let's see you try. You navy pilots are all the same – all bark." Lightning placed a hand on her hip. "While I'm doing hard work, you're all on flying tours in club med."

That got a chuckle from Thundercracker. He had to give the woman credit – she was tenacious.

"This coming from some emo chick with a cheap dye job. Who thought S.H.I.E.L.D. would go that low?" Alexis said.

Gabriel backed up. Lightning hated when people said that about her hair, and when her skills as a pilot were questioned.

"Only flying you know is spread-eagled in some trashy Thailand bar on shore leave," she snapped.

Starscream's optic ridge arched.

"I say we get these two in the air," Thundercracker chimed in, but Starscream had other plans.

"Why? So I can show them why I was picked to be Air Commander and _you_ were picked as second?"

Thundercracker's optics narrowed dangerously. He'd been hearing that from Starscream for eons, and he was sick of it.

"You never know when to shut up, do you, Screechy?" Thundercracker shot back, using that old hated nickname.

The silver seeker transformed, engines roaring to life. Oh, _now_ it was on. Alexis wasted no time in climbing into the Seeker. Lightning did the same, and faster than anyone could see, they were in the air.

"Ha, you got them in the air!" Snow said, riding up on Chromia.

"Let's hope they don't kill each other," the blue bike commented as the air-to-air grudge match started.

**Main Hanger**_  
_

_Bang. _

"Again," Ironhide barked, while Drift watched from behind. A few moves later:

_Thud._

That one made Drift wince. It was a hard blow from the old weapons master, but a good effort on Skyfire's part.

"Thank Primus you were frozen for the war," Ironhide growled. "Where is your spirit?"

"I just don't –"

Before he could finish, Skyfire was on the ground again, with Ironhide's cannon is his face.

"Survival would be a start! Come on."

The black mech offered his hand to the flier. This was going to be a long day.

Meanwhile, Magneto and Carol were working with the human Guardians and their powers.

"Okay, this is a pot of water," Erik started.

"I can see that."

Erik narrowed his eyes. Gabriel was silenced.

"Now, you must learn to control your abilities. From what I have seen in the file Rogers had on you, your powers are heat and fire-related."

Gabriel nodded.

"Good. Now, what I want you to do is heat the water to the boil – and _just_ to the boil," Erik ordered.

The dark-haired young man held his hand out. His forearm and hand glowed with gold flame. The pot of water started to shake, then promptly exploded in a fireball. The pot was reduced to melted slag.

"Right."

"Okay, Lightning – just give this old transformer a charge, see if you can get it going again." Carol pointed to the old piece of machinery_._ Lightning held out her hand. Sparks ran up and down her slender arm before jumping to the transformer. It exploded. "Okay, so charges aren't your strong suit."

Carol barely dodged the bolt fired at her head.

**Firing range**

"Are you sure about this?"

"Absolutely – well, maybe. But it's worth a shot," Tony said from behind the blast barrier. "From what I've seen, your powers are related to mass and density."

Astrotrain grinned like a maniac as he held up his Vulcan cannon.

"So you're just going to let him _shoot_ at me? This has to be the –"

Fang cursed as the large mech opened fire. She did the only thing she could: put her arms out in self-defence. The bullets bounced harmlessly off her skin.

"Well I'll be,' she said, amazed.

"Amazing! Okay, let's try something a little bigger."

Tony nodded, and Astrotrain readied his pulse cannon.

"Oh, fuck me."

**Firing Range #2**

"Carol, are you sure this is safe? You already know your limit of energy absorption," Peter pleaded.

"I'll be fine, Peter – trust me."

"You'll be fine? You're asking Thor – _Thor_, God of Thunder – to hit you with almost everything he has. Are you nuts?"

Peter looked at the god that happened to be standing nearby, looking somewhat apprehensive.

"Lady Danvers, I have known ye to show great courage," he said, "but maybe young Parker is correct."

"Who is this joker?" Skywarp asked, watching from the sidelines.

"Some god, according to Earth mythology," Thundercracker remarked offhandedly.

"Earthlings and their myths," Barricade sneered.

"Hear that, Thor? They don't believe you're the God of Thunder! Why don't you show them?" Carol grinned. Thor never passed on a challenge.

"Very well! I will show these machines that they should never question the might of Odin's son!"

Thor started to twirl his war-hammer, Mjölnir, above his head. The wind picked up, and thunder could heard – this on a perfectly clear day.

"What the –?"

A bolt of lightning, the likes of which none of them had ever seen before, struck the woman dead-on.

"Primus!"

When the smoked cleared, Carol was still standing. Her hair was blazing gold, her body glowing, her face creased in concentration. Turning towards the ocean, she threw her hands forward, releasing the excess energy in a massive blast that lit up the horizon.

Thor turned the Decepticons. "Care to test thy strength?" he asked lazily swinging Miljnor a smirk on his face.

"Yeah, so – God of Thunder! Well, I'm a believer. What about you guys?" Skywarp asked his comrades.

They nodded in agreement.

**Later that night**

Gabriel was awakened by a loud crack of lightning and a string of curses. Getting out of his bed, he stepped outside into the cool evening air to find Lightning still trying to charge the generator from earlier. He could see the woman was exhausted and frustrated.

"This is pointless."

"Still at it, huh?" Gabriel asked.

"Isn't that obvious?" She threw her hands up in utter frustration. "I can throw out enough voltage to light New York. What is the _point_ of this?"

"Control," he said, which only served to increase her anger.

"I can control this just fine. I've being doing fine for a year," she huffed, crossing her arms and pouting. It made him want to laugh at how adorable she looked. He knew she wasn't angry with him; she just hated not having control of things around her. Gabriel was always able read her very well. "This is crazy, and it makes no sense. These powers – this mark – everything."

"Hey, come on," he started softly. He understood the feeling, like your life was spiraling out of control and you could do nothing to stop it.

"I hate this – feeling like I have no say in what I'm about to do and fight," she said bitterly. "I never asked to be picked for any of this."

"None of us did, but we were."

"And that's supposed to make it better?"

She plopped down on the ground. Gabriel sat down next to her, and they both stared out into the moonless night.

"No, but it's something we just have to accept," he said. "Come on – stand. Try it again."

"Why?"

"Would you just _do_ it, Lightning? Trust me – you'll get it this time." He held a hand out and helped her up. "Okay, hand out," he said, raising her arm gently and standing behind her. The wind wafted the fragrant rose shampoo she used on her hair. "Good – now, close your eyes," he whispered in her ear, pressing his chest against her back. "Let it flow from you – don't force it. The power is not something separate from you – it's a part of you."

She tried again. The bolt was weaker, but still did not do what it was intended to do.

"Pointless," she huffed – but before she could get out of his grasp, his hand was on her waist.

Her eyes widened in shock.

"Again. Relax this time," he ordered, slowing his own breathing.

Aquamarine eyes glanced at him. She closed her eyes again, letting her breathing fall into sync with his.

_Zap_.

The generator rumbled to life. Gabriel smiled, but quickly let go when he noticed how boldly his hand had invaded her personal bubble.

"See? I knew you could do it," he said, grinning sheepishly.

She glared at him for a moment, but her gaze gradually softened.

"Yeah. Thanks." Lightning went to go inside, adding: "Don't ever do that again, by the way."

"Nice shampoo!" he laughed, earning him another glare as she went inside and slammed the door behind her.

Once inside, Lightning leaned against the door, holding the bridge of her nose, mad at herself for letting him get that close – and even more mad that she'd actually liked it. Putting those thoughts to the side, she readied herself for bed. She was asleep the instant her head hit the pillow.


	7. Chapter 6 Rosa Di Firenze

**Authors Notes: ** I know you all wondering - How is getting these out so fast – Well thats an easy answer I had most of this written when I sent off to beta. Thanks BoE for being awesome all around beta reader and dealing me.

**Chapter 6**: Rosa di Firenze

**Somewhere in the Alps on the Swiss-Italian border**

"Are you okay?"

Tired blue eyes looked up at the middle-aged blonde woman. She continued with what looked to be an excavation of an old temple, far older than anything they'd ever seen.

"Oh, of course – just a little tired. Nothing to worry about," the young woman responded, pulling her long, dark red hair into a ponytail to continue her work. She was attractive, even covered in dirt and sweat. With her tall, graceful build and creamy, near-flawless skin, anyone would have thought she was a supermodel – but she chose, instead, to dig in the dirt and the mud. History was her one true love. Understanding the past, she'd always felt, was the only way to see future. She absently rubbed the back of her neck, where a gauze pad hid the brand that had mysteriously appeared there.

"Okay, Rose – just don't push yourself. This is an amazing find, but I don't want you tiring yourself out."

"I'm fine. This too big to let a little soreness stop me." Her English accent echoed through the massive chamber where the two women were working.

"Okay."

Dr. Leslee D'Arcangelo smiled at her assistant's dedication, but she did worry about the young woman. A girl as beautiful as her should have been out making mens hearts swoon with the bat of an eyelash, but there she was – covered in dust, dirt and sweat, digging around in abandoned Italian villas.

"Who would have thought that this was under a villa?" Dr. D'Arcangelo commented. In the massive metallic chamber, the walls were covered with markings they'd never seen before. In the middle of the chamber was a machine, the likes of which neither of them had ever encountered.

"Yes," Rose said absently. The machine was humanoid and looked like a warrior, but it did not looked dead – just asleep. "It's beautiful, really."

**Diego Garcia **

"Guys, you are not going to believe this." Sideswipe looked at the small TV in the large rec room.

"What are talking about? Oh," his brother commented, looking at the TV as the camera went around a room that was uniquely Cybertronian. Soon the entire room was glued to the TV.

"Hey guys," Sam started as he entered the room – but stopped dead, looking at the screen. The mark on the back of this neck started to burn, as did that of Alexis, who was in the room with him. They both looked at each other at the same time before looking back the redheaded young woman on the screen.

"Her. She's one," Sam stated.

"One what?"

'One of the Aspects of the All Spark, like me and Alexis. Remember when the lights went out? Well, that was the call," he said, running a hand over his face.

"How do –?"

"I'm the Aspect of Knowledge. I know just know shit, okay? She is one and we need to get her, _now_."

Sideswipe turned to the young man. "Before who?"

"Who do you think?" Starscream hissed, knowing exactly what Sam meant. If this girl was connected to the All Spark, Galvatron would not be far behind.

"What? Megatron is gone," Sunstreaker said.

"No. Galvatron has found him and is repairing him. He's the reason we found 'Screamer half-dead in space. He stole that tablet from him. So he is after them, you gold-toned cretin," Barricade growled.

**Later **

Snow, Fang, Lightning, Gabriel, Skyfire, Chromia and Tony were gathered outside, waiting for Fang and Lightning's sisters to arrive. The two Transformers stayed in their alt forms on the tarmac.

"I don't like this. She should not be here," Lightning stated, glaring at Tony.

"I know, but if things go south and this Galvatron character finds out who you are, she'll be much safer here with you. Trust me – been at this a long time. Keeping your loved ones in the dark never makes them any safer."

Lightning crossed her arms, pursed her lips, and narrowed her eyes at the inventor.

"It's not safe."

"Ancient prophecies . . . alien civil war . . . honestly, this is the safest place for them," Snow said, smiling. One could see the happiness on his face: he was overjoyed to have brought Lightning more discontent.

"And she gets her own room on the other side of the base."

Snow's face dropped, but the look he received made him not want to test his luck.

"You know that's not going to keep those two apart," Fang whispered to Lightning. "She is head over heels for that guy. You should really cut him some slack – he's a good man."

"He's an idiot."

"Sometimes there really is no difference between the two. Better an idiot with a heart of gold than some rich asshole."

"She does have a point," Tony commented as the quinjet touched down. The cargo bay opened.

"Thank you for flying Avenger Air," Clint Barton – also known as Hawkeye – said to the two young women who emerged, who looked to be in their late teens. He gave them a charming smile, which earned him a hard look from the blonde woman standing next him.

"Thanks Clint, Bobbi – I really appreciate this," Tony greeted his two friends. "Heard what happened at the Raft. Everything okay?"

"From the looks of it. Everything had the look of a breakout, but all the prisoners are accounted for. We have it under control; Steve is more worried about what's happening here," said the blonde woman, who was dressed in a long blue trench coat. She was Bobbi Morse, also Agent 19 and the Avenger Mockingbird.

"Okay, keep me posted." Both gave their farewells as the two young women greeted their families. "Ladies, welcome to Diego Garcia!"

"You're working with Tony Stark and you didn't tell me, Claire?" the young woman that looked like a smaller version of Lightning – though a lot more pleasant – asked incredulously.

"Top secret, Serah."

"I'm your sister! I don't care." Serah gave her sister a look that made the older woman back off a little. The only person in the world that could stop Lightning in her tracks was her little sister.

"You been staying out of trouble, kid?" Fang asked the other young woman that had arrived.

"What – me, trouble? Never go together. I was more worried about you – you're always rushing somewhere, getting yourself hurt."

"It's all part of the job you know, Vanille."

The strawberry blonde, Vanille, turned to Gabriel. "She been staying out of trouble, Gabe?"

"If you call getting shot at with a high-power 30mm Vulcan cannon staying out of trouble then . . . yeah."

Fang mouthed "traitor" to him. He laughed as the woman was given a good lecture by her younger sister.

"Wow, that is . . . amazing. I heard rumors about this plane." Serah, like her sister, loved flying – but she was more interested in building planes, the engineering side of things, than flight. "This is the experimental XVF-1J, right?" she said, walking up to the red-and-white plane and running her hand across it.

"Well, yes and no. Uh, you might want to stand back." Snow gently pulled her back, away from the plane.

"Trust me, it's going to blow your mind."

"Okay, guys – you can show them."

"Who is –?" She jumped as the plane and motorcycle next to her suddenly started to break apart, gears and parts shifting places, and in a matter of seconds she was staring into two pairs of bright blue, robotic eyes that looked hauntingly human. "Oh my God."

"Serah, I would like you to meet my partner, Skyfire," Gabriel introduced the Autobot flier as the girl stood there, completely shocked.

"This is _amazing_," she said, walking around his leg. "Who built it?"

"Um – I'm sorry, but no-one _built_ me," Skyfire said, a bit put out by the question. "My kind usually don't remember who their creators were."

"Okay, the joke's over. It this some kind of highly advanced Stark AI, or something?"

"Believe me, I would love to take credit for him – but not even I can create life." Serah stopped at his words, blinking. "They're alien – well, robotic alien life forms. They are machines that evolved completely on their own – they're as alive as you and me. They think, feel, learn, laugh – they even have culture and science."

Vanille walked up to Chromia, who watched cautiously as she was examined. "They're beautiful."

'Yeah, that they are," Tony said, smiling, as a silver Corvette pulled up.

"Guys, big news! Prime wants everyone the hangar – hey, who's the cutie?" Sideswipe asked, coming to a stop next to Vanille.

'My sister, you scrap heap," Fang said, her tone dangerous.

Thundercracker found himself sitting outside, watching another sunset. It was something that he'd found himself doing since the time he'd arrived. The irony to him was how similar it was to a Cybertron sunset, though the sky on his home world did not have as thick an atmosphere as this one.

"So, you're my sister's partner?"

The mech looked down and saw Serah looking back up at him.

"Regrettably," he grumbled, inciting a chuckle. "What's so amusing?" he barked.

"Oh, nothing – I can just see why you're her partner. You remind me of her in many ways – scary, considering I just met you."

Thundercracker stared. To be compared to that stubborn, pigheaded woman was almost an insult.

"I am nothing like her! She's stubborn, harsh, lacks basic communication skills and has a limited knowledge of anything to do with flying. It makes my gears churn to let her sit inside me."

'You know, she said they exact same thing about you – so I guess that proves my point," Serah said, grinning, while he looked down at her in complete shock. "You honestly think Claire isn't scared of all this? She always wanted to be in control of her own fate."

This gave Thundercracker pause. That was something he could understand – it was one of the reasons why he'd first joined Megatron, only to realize that Megatron was nothing more than a maniacal tyrant with no real rationale or goal in the war that he'd started.

"Hmph. You think you know anything about me, or about my kind? Be thankful the circumstances have changed, and we are not here to turn this miserable rock to ash."

There – that should scare the Earth girl. She put her hands on her hips and shook her head.

"You know, you put up a good front – deep red eyes and all – but I _have_ seen it all before. If you were going to destroy this world – if you were anything like that – you'd have joined the other side."

Thundercracker laughed – he had to. It was the only thing he could do. No-one other than Skywarp could call him out that well.

"Very well, fleshing. This blue world, in some small way, reminds of my home before the war. It's full of life here. It's organic, mine was inorganic – but what years of senseless slaughter have taught me is that life is life."

Serah was staring at a bird flying in the sky.

"She never once took me up in a jet before," she said. "She promised, but then it got too dangerous. I always wanted to know what it was like."

Thundercracker thought for a moment looking first at the girl and then at the sky. Yes, he was getting soft – but maybe he didn't care anymore.

"Stand back," he ordered, changing into the MiG-29 Fulcrum. "Now get in."

The younger Farron sister climbed up into the blue Seeker. She sat down in the pilot seat, but the controls were like nothing she'd ever seen before.

"Touch nothing," Thundercracker said darkly.

Slowly he started his taxi before rocketing down the runway, taking off into the evening sky. Storm clouds started to gather over the island, preparing for one of the storms that followed a hot day.

"Are you sure we should be –?"

"There is reason I am called Thundercracker. The storm is my home, human – you'll be safe," he said as he flew into the storm cloud. All around her, the lightning put on a dazzling light show inside the cloud as he continued to climb. Finally they broke through the top of the cumulus cloud. Above the storm the sun was setting, and the sky was a blaze of red, blues and oranges.

'Your world intrigues me. Here a storm rages, yet brings life. On my home world they only ever signaled the coming of destruction." He paused for a moment before banking and turning. "I come here, to this small backwater planet, and feel more at peace than I ever have in my existence."

"It's our small little backwater home – really the only home we have humans have." Serah leaned against the glass, looking out of the window as the sun sank below the horizon. "You're her partner, Thundercracker. Can you make sure Claire gets back safe? Sometimes she doesn't know when to ask for help and thinks she has to everything by herself. So just make sure she gets home safe. She really is the only family I have left."

"Hmph. Fine."

It was night when the two landed. They were confronted by angry – a _very_ angry – Lightning.

"Who the hell told you take her up?" she barked.

"I can make up my own mind, Claire – and I asked him!"

"Quiet, Serah," she snapped at her younger sister as Thundercracker stood in silence, merely observing. She was acting as if she was angry, but he could see in her eyes and hear in her voice that she was scared.

"I was perfectly safe!"

"No, you were not! You don't know what that thing could have done!"

That grabbed his attention.

"You could learn something from your sibling about trust, human – because like it or not, we are stuck with each other," he said walking off in the night. Lightning watched him stalk off before turning around and seeing Serah starting to leave with Snow.

'Where are you going?"

"I'm staying at Snow's tonight," Serah coolly as she climbed onto the back of Chromia.

"No, you're not."

"You are not my mother and you don't make choices for me. If you hadn't noticed, I'm pretty good at taking care of myself."

Snow looked at his teammate sadly before pulling off, leaving her there with her thoughts and her mission.


	8. Chapter 7: Moonlit Wilderness

**Author Notes: ** Chapters 7 and the its kicks off with a the return of an old foe.

**Chapter 7**: Moonlit Wilderness

**Milan **

"Okay, so here's the plan. They're moving the NBE via train to Florence. Now, it's going in the cargo area on a passenger train. This is the girl we're looking – Rose Connelly." Will handed out a photo of an attractive young woman in her early to mid-twenties.

"Girl like that digging around old ruins? Damn shame," Epps commented.

'She happened to graduate from Oxford at the top of her class with a Masters in History and Archaeology and a Bachelors in Literature. She also happens to be the youngest ever assistant curator at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Firenze – so yeah, save yourself the trouble," Will said, rolling his eyes at his friend's comment. "Now, the first fifty miles or so runs alongside a road. I'll tail with Ironhide and Barricade. Skywarp, Skyfire and Thundercracker are providing air cover." A slow grin appeared on his face. "You four are going to be posing as newlyweds on a romantic Italian honeymoon. Keep an eye out for anything strange. Tony, Wheeljack and Ratchet are going to be in Florence waiting for us."

"Oh, sweetheart – an Italian honeymoon! My hubby is the greatest." Epps gasped for air as Carol wrapped a seemingly innocent but bone-crushing embrace around him. Will laughed at the expression on his friend's face as Epps swore revenge on him – somehow, some day.

**Somewhere between Milan and Florence **

"_What's the status on the package?_" Will's voice rang in Lightning's ear.

"No change. She's reading a book." Lightning glanced over at the redheaded young woman sitting a few seats across from her and Gabriel.

"_Okay – Epps, what about our metal friend?_"

"Train car connected to the cargo car is full of undercover security," Epps responded.

Out on the road, Ironhide was ahead of Barricade. The black Saleen was barely visible – only its headlights gave it away.

'I don't trust him," Ironhide rumbled.

"Barricade, what's your status?" Will called out over the radio.

"We're being tailed – black-and-purple car," the tracker responded.

"One of your old friends?"

"_Willing to bet your life that it's not, fleshy_."

"Right. Skyfire, what does it look like from up there?"

Twenty-six thousand feet above them, Skyfire responded:

"Nothing out of the – wait. Do you feel that?" the white flier asked.

"Yeah. That feels like –" Skywarp started.

Suddenly there was a loud sonic boom. Their formation was broken by a dark blue SU-35.

"IT'S DIRGE!" Thundercracker roared over the radio as the guns of the ensuing dogfight rang out. Before Will could understand what was happening, Ironhide swerved hard to the right as a black Porsche 997 GT3 almost hit them head-on. Barricade came roaring up in seconds, chasing a black Audi R8 whose driver suddenly jumped out and flew through air in some kind of suit of armor as the car transformed.

"Sideways!" Barricade yelled, transforming in mid air. Turning back, Will saw the Porsche gaining ground as a large plasma cannon unfolded from its hood.

Back on the train, Carol looked up as she and Epps heard a muffled thump on the roof.

"What was that?" Epps asked.

Carol's gaze shifted to the window adjacent to her. The first thought in her mind was that Tony was flying alongside the train, but there was something off – the color of the armor was wrong. It was deep purple with a green mask. The armor suit's hand raised and fired a repulsion blast through the window, missing her by inches. It hit the man across the aisle.

"What the hell?"

Moments later the armored man came crashing down through the roof of the train, causing uproar.

"Hello, Carol. Remember in New York, you said you could have killed me?" He raised his armored hand, and the palm glowed. "You really should have."

**On Rose's train car**

"Anything from the others?" Lightning whispered.

"No – I don't like this."

Gabriel tapped his teammate on her shoulder when he saw Rose stand up and head to the dining car. Both of them rose from their seats to shadow her. Rose turned around, feeling as if someone was following her, as they moved through the connecting car. Gabriel saw her start to turn and grabbed Lightning. Before she could utter a protest, his lips were on hers, and he pulled her close.

_Jesus, she tastes good, _he thought. He felt her hand run up his chest before she roughly pushed him off, glaring three types of death at him for what he'd just pulled.

Gabriel flashed that silly, charming smile he always used when he knew he was in the doghouse with her. What pissed her off even more was that it always had a way of getting him out of said doghouse.

"The human – Rose Eurwen Connelly – where is she?"

Gabriel turned around. He saw something that looked human, but was most certainly _not _human. The man – if one could call him that – was holding a woman hostage. That woman was Leslee D'Arcangelo.

"Oh –"

Lightning grabbed the girl, pulling her down between the seats, and covered her mouth.

"This human will die, painfully, if you do not show yourself."

"Now, let's not be harsh here." Gabriel grabbed the Pretender's attention. The machine tightened his grip on the woman.

"No!"

"Rose, don't!" Lightning grabbed the girl from behind, pulling out her HK USP and pointing it at the machine. Gabriel followed suit.

"A life for a life, human. A fair trade," it hissed.

Dr D'Arcangelo grabbed Gabriel's attention, mouthing the words "protect her". He knew what she was planning . Gabriel steadied his arm, eyes narrowed, as blood started to trickle down the woman's neck. He knew and hated but the Pretender was holding the doctor in away that he had now other clear shot on a train full of people.

"Okay, just—"

The sound of a gunshot rang out. It hit both the doctor and the Pretender. The Decepticon was sent reeling as the high-caliber bullet found its place in its chest, nearly hitting its spark. Gabriel fired three more shots. Two struck the machine in the chest; the last hit its head. Gabriel ran forward as Rose stood in shock.

The Pretender lay on the floor, twitching. Gabriel squeezed off two more rounds into its core processor, finally killing the machine.

"Leslee!" Rose wriggled away from Lightning and rushed to her friend and mentor's side, cradling the woman in her arms. "Get away!" she barked at Gabriel, who had holstered his weapon.

"Go with them, Rose," Leslee whispered. "They're here to protect you, to keep you safe. You can trust them."

"He _shot_ you! Who—?"

Pulling a bloodied piece of paper from her jacket pocket, the dying woman handed it to Rose.

"You are more important. Not much time . . . now go." She looked up at Gabriel and grabbed his hand. "They taught you well. Keep her safe. Keep them all safe."

"What?"

But she was gone before he could get an answer. Her hand fell limply from his grasp. Gabriel looked around, unsettled. Strangely, most of the passengers had not risen in panic over someone being shot on the train.

_Something is very wrong here. _

"We have to go." He placed a comforting hand on Rose's shoulder as she continued to look at folded piece of paper. It was sealed with a symbol that looked like the letter A and an arrowhead.

"Gabriel!" Lightning voiced her worry as the passengers started to get up and reveal themselves. Pulling Rose up roughly by the arm, Gabriel pushed her towards Lightning.

"MOVE!" he yelled, drawing his gun. He fired off shot after shot, before ducking through the doorway. Seconds before the door shut he felt a searing pain in his side and his leg, and his vision blurred for a moment. Holding his hand to his ribcage for a moment, he pulled it back and found it covered in blood.

"You're hit! Are you —?" Lightning looked worried; there was a lot of blood on his hand.

"I'm fine. Keep moving."

**Epps and Carol's car**

Epps fired. Nearly his entire clip of bullets had bounced off the man's armor harmlessly.

"Norman," Carol hissed, pulling off the expensive pair of shoes Tony had provided for the mission. "I don't know how you got out, and I really don't care, but I'm sending you back."

She launched herself forward, fist drawn back. Osborn fired off a repulsion blast from his gauntlet, striking the woman and knocking her back. Epps opened fire, unloading his entire clip as the people on the car screamed in panic.

"That did not work the first time." Epps ran up to the armored man – only to find his fist being painfully crushed in Osborn's armored hand. "Let's take a trip!" Norman blasted through the roof and into the moonlit sky, coming to a stop at around eight thousand feet. "Nice view. Enjoy it on your way down," he said, letting go of the struggling man.

Carol groaned and looked up. She saw Osborn drop Epps and jumped up, rocketing into the sky as fast as could to catch him.

"Epps, flatten out!" she screamed over the roar of the wind in her ears. His Air Force training kicked in as he laid out flat, slowing his descent. She slammed into him, catching him in midair as Skyfire's voice rang in her ear.

"_Is that Tony?_"

"No, Skyfire – so feel free to shoot him anytime."

Skywarp ported to the ground, slamming Thrust down before warping back into the night. The red Seeker let out a string of curses as Ironhide's speeding form slammed into him. Will pulled himself back inside the window just seconds before the mech flew by, rolling on the ground before tumbling to a halt. Ironhide pulled a hard right and skidded to a stop, giving Will just enough time jump out. The soldier's boots barely touched the ground before Ironhide was in bipedal mode, slamming his pulse cannon into the ground.

Sideways jumped and transformed in midair. He rolled across the ground and came up firing. Ironhide – showing a grace of movement that something his size should have been able to achieve –ducked out of the way just as the round Will fired exploded against Sideways' armor plating. Hissing – more in annoyance than pain – he readied a plasma shot, only to have his arm yanked down by Barricade's bladed chain whip. He was yanked forward and slammed face-first into the body of Dead End, who'd been thrown by the hunter at the same time. The two fell to the ground in a heap of metal, struggling to get back on their feet, and for the first time Will thought the battle was starting to turn in their favor – only to have his dreams mercilessly crushed.

"Get down!" Epps yelled. Seconds later a shell come roaring overhead, exploding against the trees.

"Guys! Could use some air cover here!" Will called over the radio.

**Back on the Train **

Three shots in quick succession were all it took to stagger the attacking Pretender, allowing Lightning to kick the mech down to the ground. She was thankful that she always wore boots – even if they were knee-length Italian-made equestrian riding boots, they still got the job done. She spotted where they wanted to be – just ahead of them.

"Gotta move," she said, grabbing Rose roughly by the arm. Gabriel was not far behind, firing well-placed shots into the hoard of screaming passengers. Almost his entire left side was soaked in red, and he moved with a hard limp.

"Get the door open!" he said. His face was covered in sweat. He noticed that Rose was looking up at him, her blue eyes worried. "Not today – I have promised to keep you safe," he said, reading her mind.

"Everyone in!" Lightning barked. They rushed inside, shutting the door behind them. Gabriel leaned against the door, holding his side.

"He's losing a lot of blood," Rose said.

His gold eyes locked with hers, saying all that needed to be said. He was _not_ dying here.

"Gabriel is tough. It will take more than that to stop him." Lightning looked at the massive, dormant Cybertronian before them. "So this it, huh? What they're after – besides you."

"Yes."

Rose screamed as the train came to a halt, then started to lurch forward. Outside, the locomotive was hanging over the edge of the blown-out bridge. The train lurched again, moving forward.

"Grab hold of something!" was all Lightning could say before everything went black, and the train went over the edge. Thousands of tons of steel careered into the ravine.


	9. Chapter 8: Blinded by Light

**Author Notes: ** Sorry for the long wait but life jumped in and had its way for while. The wait will be worth it as things are heating up and the next group of the Chapters are going to fast paced so be ready. OH and Dark of the Moon I must cry manly tears of Awesome in awe of the movie so worth the money and 3D. Movie critics can go the hell that movie was great. Except to influences from the movie appear in the later chapters and stories of the Trilogy.

**Chapter 8**: Blinded by Light

"Shockwave, everything is going as planned – the human train just took a tumble," Ramjet conformed for the tactical commander from overhead.

"Excellent – you two know what to do." Two shadowed silhouettes disappeared in the night forest. "Now" – Shockwave transformed into his bipedal mode, bracing and locking himself onto the ground as he took aim at Skywarp, who was holding Ramjet off – "time to deal with treacherous trash."

The cannon charged, leveled its crosshairs – and fired.

Skywarp turned to see the antimatter charge heading straight for him – seconds before as small human flew in front of him, arms spread wide, and absorbed all of the blast.

'Crazy human! Have you –?"

She turned back and looked at him, hair shining and body glowing.

"Too much," she whispered before heading straight up into the air, as high as possible. Carol just made it to a safe distance before her body released all the energy at once, lighting up the night sky.

"Squishy went out with a bang," Ramjet jested, raising his weapon at Skywarp.

"I could say the same for you." Grinning, Thundercracker grabbed the red Seeker from behind, bracing his fist against his back. The storm-blue Seeker grinned maliciously and fired off a concussive blast that snapped Ramjet in two. Skywarp did not give the jet a second glance as he looked skyward, picking up the image of a falling body.

"She still alive."

He transformed and warped up to her, opening his canopy and using his solid matter hologram to catch his falling partner. She landed in his arms roughly and groaned in pain before coughing up blood.

**Florence**

"_Hey, squishy with the suit!" _

"Skywarp, what hell is going on? And I told you my name is –"

"_Not now, slag it! Carol is hurt! I don't know what do _– _she's coughing up your human vital fluid_," the mech replied frantically.

"Wait, what happened?" Tony asked. Skywarp gave him a quick breakdown of events. "Okay, I'm forwarding you the location of my Tuscan villa. It's an Avenger haven – we'll have what we need to treat her there." He turned to Ratchet. "Ratchet, I just gave you full access to Carol's medical records and all the files we have on her unique physiology, along with some basic information about the Kree. I need you to get my villa as fast you can."

"Already en route, Tony. What are you going to do?"

"What I do best," he said, armoring up and blasting into the air.

Lightning came to with the taste of blood in her mouth and a pounding headache as her vision came back into focus. There were bodies scattered everywhere and fire burned all around her. She pushed a piece of debris off her, but suddenly stopped. There was a passenger that had barely survived crawling to safety just before her. The woman looked bloodied and terrified, and she met Lightning's eyes for just a moment before a long, spike-like leg impaled her and tossed the body to the side. Lightning scanned her surroundings and quickly found Rose, who was trying to pull Gabriel to safety.

"There you are," hissed a female voice as a giant robotic spider came into view.

Lightning was never one to panic – she always hid her inner feelings. Still, she was not as cold or unfeeling as everyone thought. No – her problem was that she was the exact _opposite_. She sometimes felt too deeply for those around her, her friends and family, so she hid her true feelings behind a mask of indifference and anger. One of the only people that could see through to how she felt inside was defenseless.

"Not again," she mumbled, struggling free. " I won't—"

Her mind went back to the day her parents died , the day she and Serah had been orphaned. No matter how much she struggled, she could not get herself free.

"Please …"

Then she heard it – an ethereal voice like nothing she had ever heard, powerful and calming in the same breath:

_By grace of Etro, let thunder herald your arrival. Come forth, sunderer of falsehood._

_A name in blood, a pact of truth. Odin shall rise, his bond eternal and unyielding._

Her body went rigid, every hair standing on end. The area around her cracked and charged with electricity, and the smell of ozone filled the air. She arched her back in a silent scream, eyes glowing a fluorescent white. Sparks of lightning ran over her body and on the ground, forming a runic circle beneath her. Her guardian crystal appeared over her chest, and the brand on her left breast flared to life in a rose color that could be seen clearly through her clothing.

"_Black Arachnia, I am picking up a large energy signature. What is going on?_"

Shockwave's voice diverted the femme's attention away from her prey. She turned to see a large crystal sphere floating in the air. Then a sudden gust of wind preceded a flash of light and a shower of blood-red rose petals. What looked like a knight stood with the legs of a horse. In his right hand was a double-bladed staff, and on his left arm was a shield.

"I'll get back to you."

She ended the com link before turning towards Lightning.

"So, Princess – you went and found yourself a knight in shining armor," she said.

Lightning paid no heed to the taunt. She raised her handgun before pulling the trigger, only to hear the worst sound possible — the click of the empty firearm.

_You need no weapon, for you are your weapon. Now strike. _

She glanced back at the creature for a moment as the black-and-purple machine bore down on her. _I am the weapon_, she thought to herself. Her eyes narrowed as the machine shifted into its robotic form. The Decepticon stood about seven feet tall in the form of a slender woman. Four glowing optics narrowed as four more spike-like arms grew from her back. She crouched down low to the ground. Lightning bolted forward, throwing her hand behind her as she gathered the air around her, molding into sphere in her hand, making it condense, swirl and spin, faster and faster. Black Arachnia jumped through the air, blades poised to strike. She was greeted with the loud clang of her blades clashing with the shield of the knight. Lightning threw her hand forward, and – on instinct – released the sphere, which exploded with a tremendous amount of force, sending the shocked Decepticon smashing into a nearby rock face.

"Impressive."

Lightning turned around, and what looked like a wolf shot out of the shadows. The knight spun around quickly, blocking the new combatant's attack. The wolf landed deftly on all fours and circled, red eyes glowing. Lightning threw a bolt of electricity that missed its mark, hitting the Transformer in stasis behind her attacker. Its frame seemed to absorb the charge. Her attacker grinned and attacked again, this time transforming in midair and grabbing the knight's shield before landing and throwing it to the ground.

"No knight in shining armor to save you this time, Princess."

Lightning found herself swept off her feet. Her head hit something with a crack, causing her vision to blur. Taking one of her back legs, Black Arachnia plunged it through the woman's thigh, relishing the agonized scream she let out before lifting her into the air, letting her dangle just in front of her face.

Rose held Gabriel close as she watched the battle play out, terrified. The she noticed the machine she'd found with Leslee. The woman had hit it with a lightning bolt, and it had seemed to absorb the energy.

Maybe …

Black Arachnia tossed the wounded woman down on the ground. Her impact was marked by a wet smack.

"Go ahead … crawl."

She struck out again, this time pinning Lightning down through the other leg. Lightning looked up. One side of her face was covered in blood from the gash just above her hairline. She saw the girl, Rose, pointing at the something – she was pointing at the mech that she and her mentor had found under the Italian villa. Reaching out, she summoned every ounce of her remaining strength and poured it into her outstretched hand. Lightning danced from her fingertips and arched towards its target as she poured more and more energy into the mech.

"What are you—?"

Lightning's attacker looked up as the Cybertronian came to back to life. Black Arachnia found herself staring at a very angry robotic Tyrannosaurus Rex.

"This is not going to go well," her companion Six Shot quipped as the metallic dinosaur let out a loud roar before looking at the two. Its blue eyes narrowed.

"It won't know who is its friend or foe this soon after coming out the stasis lock."

The beast looked in Rose's direction, then back at Black Arachnia, and then once again at the woman on the ground.

_Protect human._

A thought – more of an instinct, a need, hardwired into its very being – shot through its head. It lowered itself down, snarling at the two Decepticons, challenging them to attack.

"Willing to be your aft on it? 'Cause I'm not."

Six Shot shifted from wolf mode to flight mode just as Skyfire landed, gun at the ready. Ironhide and Barricade arrived a moment later.

"_Shockwave to Six Shot — we have lost tactical advantage. Fall back._"

"That's our cue," Black Arachnia hissed before leaping onto his wing.

All eyes and optics were on the sky until the duo was gone.

"This is Captain Lennox. We need a Medivac," Will said into his radio, seeing Gabriel and Lightning's condition. "It's okay, Miss Connelly. We're here to protect you."

"That's obvious, because we have yet to try and kill her," Barricade sneered. "I think she is intelligent enough to tell the difference."

"Shut up," Ironhide barked at him.

"Easy, now. Everything is going to be all right," Will said to Rose, who he could tell was horribly frightened. She was holding onto Gabriel so tightly that her knuckles had turned white.

"I'm sorry." Rose looked down at the man she was holding, who whispered: "I'm sorry about your friend."

Will gently took her hands from around Gabriel as the sound of helicopters pierced the air.

"Where's Thundercracker?" Lightning asked Epps as he tended to the wound on the side of her head.

"Covering Skywarp's wing."

"Slag it, TC – get this guy off me!" Skywarp barked, rolling though another gunfire from Dirge and Ramjet.

Thundercracker dove in, firing. The two fliers broke off the pursuit and dodged the hail of gunfire. There was a sudden weight on Skywarp's wing. Norman Osborne raised a fist.

"Skywarp – bank hard right, _now_!" Tony ordered.

The black seeker did as he was told. The maneuver was enough to jar Osborne as Tony slammed into him, knocking him off Skywarp's wing.

"Go! I'll handle Osborne!"

"_Dirge and Ramjet are breaking off_," Thundercracker's voice said over the com, and his long-time wingmate could hear his worry.

"Go check on her," Skywarp said simply before cutting off communication, pushing himself to go faster.

"Hey, Norman! Long time no see," Tony jested as Ironman, hovering in the air across from the man that had tried to take everything from him.

"Go ahead, Stark – try to shoot me down. There will be no repeat of Asgard," Osborne said before Tony's armored fist met his faceplate. "Oh, I see! We're going to do this the old-fashioned way."

Osborne roared in rage as the two men locked in combat in midair, exchanging blows as the tumbled. "No – not this time, Osborne!" Tony grabbed the other arm, twisting it hard, then placed his palm over his ribcage and fired a repulsion blast. Osborn cursed in pain as he was sent spinning through the air a few hundred feet away.

"_Osborne, fall back_."

The man growled, glaring at Tony, before turning and flying off – leaving Tony with more questions than answers.

_Thunder and Lightning (Lightning's Theme) _

Thundercracker landed just as they were loading both Gabriel and Lightning into the Medivac. His optics found the pink hair. Lightning was conscious, but her head was bandaged.

"We don't have a lot of time. The Italian government has a cover story for us, but they'll only keep the cameras away for a while," Skyfire announced.

The blue Seeker spared him a glance before transforming and taking off into the air. He circled around a couple of times as they made the necessary preparations for takeoff. Once they were in, the Medivac settled into formation to the right of the helicopter carrying Lightning.

"This is NEST Seeker Thundercracker. I want a status report on one of your patients – the woman."

"She'll be fine. She has a concussion and two deep stab wounds in both her legs, but she's a tough one. From what the other girl told me, she had some kind of spider thing like you guys by herself," the medic informed him.

"Held off Black Arachnia. Hm." He did not want to admit it, but he was impressed. "Put her on."

Lightning's voice came a moment later:

"What?"

He could hear the exhaustion in her voice, the storm of emotion brewing just below the surface.

"It won't happen again," he said, straight to point. She looked out of the window at the blue MIG-29 flying next to the helicopter. In the cockpit she could see a dark-haired, pale-skinned man with stormy red eyes looking back at her.

"You kept the fliers off the train."

"They were nothing."

"Then you have nothing to apologize for – I just have to get stronger." He heard her voice crack slightly – she must have been terrified down there by herself.

"We both do," he admitted. None of them were truly ready. They had found another of the All Spark avatars at the cost of three injured allies. It was victory, but it did not feel like one to him. She was his partner, and Black Arachnia would pay for harming her the way she did tonight. "I have a partner to protect."

"I don't need protection."

There was a warmth in his deep voice that she had not heard before. It brought a small smile to her face, and an odd sense of comfort. Tonight she had never felt so weak and helpless. Even after summoning whatever she'd summoned, she was still no match for those machines.

_He is the roar after your flash. Trust him, for only together will you be the storm. Never fear. Our pact will be in blood. Call and I will come to your aid, for I am Odin, the sunderer of false hood_

"Sure you don't," Thundercracker said.

On the ground, Grimlock – Ironhide recognized him in an instant – was loaded into a large tracker trailer. The newest Autobot had not changed into his robot form, but Ironhide remembered him as one of his old students. Clearly the recognition was mutual: he listened to the old weapons master.

Gabriel had finally awakened, but was still very weak from blood loss. He found himself looking up into a pair of tired and confused blue eyes.

"Why?" Rose asked.

"Because she loved you and wanted to save you," he answered, his voice weak and hoarse.

Rose pulled the blood-covered envelope out from her pocket, trying to hold back tears. "I know that – but why me?"

"The mark on the back of your neck. It's some kind of the marking that signifies you as a carrier of the All Spark – whatever that is," Lightning answered somewhat harshly.

'The mark on the back of the my neck? It only appeared to about two days ago." She paused. "Oh, God, she's dead because of me."

"No – she's dead because she knew you were more important than her. If you want to honor it, then be that – whatever _that_ is. We almost died to get you off that train, so don't make us regret it. Don't make Gabe regret killing an innocent woman so you could live."

Lightning was harsh – it was her nature – but it was the truth. She and Gabriel _had_ almost died tonight, trying to save this woman, so she'd better have been worth all the trouble. Lightning turned her head to the side, letting sleep take her. She did not want to think right now – there would be time for that later.

"Thank you, both of you."

Rose trailed off, the thought of her deceased mentor stirring a swell of grief in her chest. Gabriel gave a weak but reassuring grin that somehow cut through her misery.

"I didn't know her, but when I pulled the trigger, it was promise – a promise that I would protect you from now on. And I will – we all will."


End file.
